towhee
2
9.9
- noun
- /ˈtoʊhi/
- US
:
towhee
- Rimrock's seeds also make an excellent food for game birds like mourning doves and valley quail or for songbirds such as green-tailed towhees.
- rufous-sided towhee
- brown towhee
- Eastern Towhee
Examples
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Blue-bottom rufous towhee.
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I spotted a colorful towhee perched on a branch in my backyard.
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"No self-respecting towhee would sound like that," Laura is laughing outright now.
Fiction book (1996) -
"She said the rufous-sided towhee went 'drink your tea-ea-ea, drink your tea.'"
Fiction book (1996) -
Laura cradles the little box as though the towhee were nesting inside.
Fiction book (1996) -
When I opened the door, a couple of nervous towhees blundered into the bushes.
Fiction book (1990) -
"No self-respecting towhee," Mattie replies.
Fiction book (1996) -
Our women are named Lark, Titmouse, Towhee, Quail, Redstart, Killdeer.
Fiction book (2001) -
Several other species, both migratory and nonmigratory, such as the rufous-sided towhee, rock ptarmigan, and spruce grouse, also have longer guts at times of the year when they eat more food.
Academic text (1993) -
The distinctive song of the towhee filled the air as I hiked through the forest.
Synonyms
A small brown bird with a long tail and a clear two-note call
A small North American songbird often found in bushes at forest edges
A common songbird in eastern North America with black, white, and reddish-brown feathers
A group of North and Central American birds called towhees
Compounds
- Specialized
A small brown bird with a yellow-green tail that lives in western mountain areas
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word towhee comes from the bird's own call, which sounds like 'tow-hee', so people named the bird after that sound, much like we use 'tweet' for other small birds. That's why towhee now refers to a North American songbird known for its clear call and long tail.