A rufous-sided towhee was sighted by Christine Morin during June, 2000. The towhee was in the vicinity of the "phantom parking lots."

The bird, which is easily recognized by its robin-red sides, is smaller and more slender than a robin. It is best known for its distinctive song - "drink- your-teeee."

Towhees spend most of their time on or near the ground. They nest near the ground in open woods, undergrowth, or brushy edges. They also forage for insects, seeds and fruits in leaf litter, generally stirring up the leaves in their search for food.

Towhee nests are frequent hosts for cowbirds, which lay their eggs here. When the eggs hatch, the young are raised by the towhee, thus increasing the size of the cowbird population, and decreasing the numbers of towhees. The habitat of the cowbirds is generally where an "edge effect" exists, such where pavement meets forestland. Increasing the amount of paved areas on the Hackett Hill property would definitely result in an increase in the number of those bird species whose nests are "parasitized" by the cowbird.

Towhees are migratory birds and do not over-winter on the Hackett Hill property.

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Credits: The drawing of the towhee and information concerning this species are from the web site of The New Hope Aububon Society.