LOUISIANA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

REPORT FORM

1. English and Scientific names: Spotted Towhee, Pipilo maculatus

2. Number of individuals, sexes, ages, general plumage: 1 female

3. Locality: Parish: Cameron

Specific Locality: Peveto Woods Sanctuary

4. Date(s) when observed: January 29, 2012

5. Time(s) of day when observed: mid-afternoon

6. Reporting observer and address:

Paul Conover

Lafayette LA

7. Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): Dave Patton, Mac Myers

8. Other observers who independently identified the bird(s): Possibly the same towhee that Tom Finnie photographed in November (2011); if so, it has gone undetected for over 2 months.

9. Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): Overcast, but not a big deal.

10. Optical equipment (type, power, condition): Zeiss 10s

11. Distance to bird(s): Only open looks from about 20-30 yards.

12. Duration of observation: In the clear perhaps 1 minute.

13. Habitat: Area of remnant chenier woods with dense brushy undergrowth.

14. Behavior of bird / circumstances of observation: Moved furtively ahead of me through thicket, behavior which made me suspect I was dealing with a towhee before getting a clear look at it. After I pushed it to the end of the thicket, it began to move from thicket to thicket and become more visible.

15. Description: A “Rufous-sided” Towhee with profusion of whitish spots on its mantle.

Hood and mantle ground color a medium-dark brown, with some gray tones on the head at least. Hood came to a V on breast. White tips to greater and median coverts forming spotted white Wingbars, with additional white spotting on mantle (and on lesser coverts?), and with white inner edges to tertials, and a white line along lower edge of folded wing. Some spotting on mantle suffused with warm brown. Underparts with broadly rufous “sides,” less strongly rufous undertail, and white center of belly and vent. Tail dark-brownish with white corners (white in outer 2 or 3 pairs of rects).

Maxilla dark gray or blackish, mandible paler gray. Irides brown or reddish-brown.

16. Voice: Calling but I didn’t hear it clearly. Refer to Patton’s report for transcription.

17. Similar species (include how they were eliminated by your observation): Eastern Towhee eliminated by extent of white spotting.

18. Photographs or tape recordings obtained? (by whom? attached?): Yes, Dave and I both photographed the bird.

19. Previous experience with this species: Pretty extensive.

20. Are you positive of your identification if not, explain: Yes.

21. Date: 02/01/2012