Towhee, the common name for any one of several ground-dwelling birds of North America. Towhees range in size from about 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm). They are usually brownish or grayish. The female lays from three to six spotted eggs in cup-shaped nests made on the ground or in low shrubs or trees.
One of the most common species is the rufous-sided towhee, also called chewink, found in forests from southern Canada to Guatemala. It is from 7 to 8 1/2 inches (18 to 22 cm) long. The male has a black head and upper parts, with rows of white spots on the back and wings. Its sides are reddish and the belly is white. The female is similar except that it is brown where the male is black.
Towhees belong to the genus Pipilo of the subfamily Emberizinae of the finch family, Fringillidae. The rufous-sided towhee is P. erythrophthalmus.Towhees are small ground-dwelling birds of North America.