The Green-tailed Towhee is a striking sparrow that breeds in the higher elevations of Arizona, particularly in shrubby clearings, oak scrub, and brushy slopes across the Mogollon Rim, the White Mountains, and many of the state’s sky island ranges. In summer it is a fairly common breeder in montane habitats above about 5,000 feet. The species is easily recognized by its olive-green tail, gray body, and rufous crown, which it can raise into a small crest when agitated. During migration and winter, Pipilo chlorurus occurs more widely at lower elevations, frequenting desert washes, mesquite thickets, and riparian corridors across much of Arizona. Its scratchy, buzzy song and sharp calls are often heard before the bird is seen, as it forages on the ground in dense cover. Among the towhees, it is the smallest in North America, yet one of the most vividly marked, and Arizona offers excellent opportunities to observe it throughout the year.
