I took these photos back in 01/2024 at Patagonia Lake State Park.  I don’t believe I have shared them.

I love Towhees. This Green-tailed Towhee is such a beautiful bird with its white throat, distinct rufous head to its olive green wings, back and tail. It’s one of the smallest Towhees with a huge personality.

They are very secretive, so when this one popped up on this rock I was thrilled. Like most Towhees you find them hidden under scrubs while scratching for food on the ground. They prefer shrubby habitats like sagebrush, mountain mahogany and mixed shrublands. They eat seeds, berries and insects.

The Pyrrhuloxia is a red and grayish bird that looks similar to the Northern Cardinal. Sometimes it is referred to as  the “desert cardinal”.  The Pyrrhuloxia has a beauty all its own with its red face, chest and tail. It prefers arid environments like deserts, mesquite thickets and scrublands. They like to eat seeds, fruit and insects. What a fun word to learn how to pronounce!

Pyrrhuloxia- male

Patagonia Lake State Park has a huge variety of birds and is a fun place to camp.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing these two colorful birds!