Spotted Towhee

Day 47: Although Spotted Towhees are resident in my yard year-'round, nothing brings them out of hiding like a snowfall. And such busy little things they are, darting here and there faster than I can bring the camera into focus. They are primarily ground feeders, scratching for seeds and insects with a peculiar backwards hop which captures debris in their front talons and sets it flying behind them in a shower. They use the same technique to dig through snow, and often mine down to bare soil beneath the feeders in the hopes of finding seed scattered from overhead. Why not dine from a whole tray of black-oil sunflower seed when it is readily available? Bird species which eat insects as a principle component of their diet also incline toward searching for seed on the ground. Those which primarily consume nuts, seeds and fruit are more likely frequent raised feeding stations.