{"id":52355,"date":"2018-05-31T04:59:12","date_gmt":"2018-05-31T10:59:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=52355"},"modified":"2025-10-26T06:17:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-26T11:17:19","slug":"green-tailed-towhee-perched-on-a-blooming-utah-serviceberry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/05\/31\/green-tailed-towhee-perched-on-a-blooming-utah-serviceberry\/","title":{"rendered":"Green-tailed Towhee Perched On A Blooming Utah Serviceberry"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-161810 size-full\" title=\"Green-tailed Towhee perched on a Utah Serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-flowering-tree-mia-mcpherson-3052.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-flowering-tree-mia-mcpherson-3052.jpg\" alt=\"Green-tailed Towhee perched on a Utah Serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-flowering-tree-mia-mcpherson-3052-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-flowering-tree-mia-mcpherson-3052-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-flowering-tree-mia-mcpherson-3052-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-flowering-tree-mia-mcpherson-3052-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-flowering-tree-mia-mcpherson-3052-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-flowering-tree-mia-mcpherson-3052.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Green-tailed Towhee perched on a Utah Serviceberry &#8211; Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I spent some time up in the canyons of the Wasatch Mountains yesterday photographing the birds I found including this handsome Green-tailed Towhee perched on a blooming Utah Serviceberry.<\/p>\n<p>This time of year Green-tailed Towhees are singing from the tops of shrubs and bushes to attract mates and it is about the only time of the year I find them out in the open as easily and as often as I do.<\/p>\n<p>The rest of the year I have to get really lucky to find these skulking birds of the sparrow family. I keep hoping to find some juvenile Green-tailed Towhees later in the breeding season but so far I haven&#8217;t been that fortunate.<\/p>\n<p>I heard this towhee singing before I spotted him perched in the serviceberry and even though he was further away than I would have preferred I liked this photo because of the setting and because the bird wasn&#8217;t hidden by branches. Shortly after this photo was taken the towhee moved to another part of the serviceberry.<\/p>\n<p>Only the male Green-tailed Towhees sing which is how I know this bird is a male.\u00a0Listen to a Green-tailed Towhee singing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.xeno-canto.org\/253332\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>I took a lot more photos of this towhee after he moved to the other section of the serviceberry. I probably shouldn&#8217;t have because I don&#8217;t think I will be keeping any of those since my view of the bird was obstructed by some branches that were in front of him.<\/p>\n<p>It is okay though, because I am very happy with this image.<\/p>\n<p>Life <em>is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/green-tailed-towhee-images\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Green-tailed Towhee photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I spent some time up in the canyons of the Wasatch Mountains yesterday photographing the birds I found including this handsome Green-tailed Towhee perched on a blooming Utah Serviceberry. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":161810,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,2212,4594,5346,26],"tags":[6523,6098,6577,3940,5889,6496,5370,3905,6583,4069,2303,6188,855,4195,5908,4854,6522,2667,6497],"class_list":["post-52355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-green-tailed-towhees","category-morgan-county","category-shrubs","category-utah","tag-amelanchier-utahensis","tag-blooming","tag-branches","tag-canyon","tag-flowering-shrub","tag-flowering-tree","tag-forest","tag-green-tailed-towhee","tag-leaves","tag-mountains","tag-pipilo-chlorurus","tag-shrub","tag-sparrow","tag-sparrows","tag-towhee","tag-towhees","tag-utah-serviceberry","tag-western-serviceberry","tag-white-flowers"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-flowering-tree-mia-mcpherson-3052.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-dCr","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":57518,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/04\/29\/green-tailed-towhees-are-returning-for-their-breeding-season\/","url_meta":{"origin":52355,"position":0},"title":"Green-tailed Towhees Are Returning For Their Breeding Season","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 29, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"When mom and I found this adult Green-tailed Towhee singing while perched on a blooming Utah Serviceberry of course we had to stop and take its photo!","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Green-tailed Towhee on a blooming serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-breeding-season-mia-mcpherson-2204.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-breeding-season-mia-mcpherson-2204.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-breeding-season-mia-mcpherson-2204.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-breeding-season-mia-mcpherson-2204.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58393,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/06\/06\/green-tailed-towhee-close-up\/","url_meta":{"origin":52355,"position":1},"title":"Green-tailed Towhee Close Up","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 6, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Looking beyond the viewfinder paid off for me because if I hadn't done just that I would have missed seeing and photographing this Green-tailed Towhee.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Close up Green-tailed Towhee framed by a blooming serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-up-close-mia-mcpherson-9121.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-up-close-mia-mcpherson-9121.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-up-close-mia-mcpherson-9121.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-up-close-mia-mcpherson-9121.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":106065,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/09\/10\/young-green-tailed-towhee-in-a-serviceberry\/","url_meta":{"origin":52355,"position":2},"title":"Young Green-tailed Towhee In A Serviceberry","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I found this young Green-tailed Towhee perched in a serviceberry high in a mountain canyon on a sunny morning on the last day of July this year.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Green-tailed Towhee posing in a serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/green-tailed-towhee-young-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-9984.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/green-tailed-towhee-young-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-9984.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/green-tailed-towhee-young-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-9984.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/green-tailed-towhee-young-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-9984.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58551,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/06\/14\/adult-green-tailed-towhee-perched-in-a-golden-currant-bush\/","url_meta":{"origin":52355,"position":3},"title":"Adult Green-tailed Towhee Perched In A Golden Currant Bush","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 14, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I truly wish that I had been able to photograph this adult Green-tailed Towhee in this Golden Currant bush while is was in full bloom because that would have been gorgeous with all the tiny yellow flowers.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Green-tailed Towhee perched in a Golden Currant, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-golden-currant-mia-mcpherson-7634.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-golden-currant-mia-mcpherson-7634.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-golden-currant-mia-mcpherson-7634.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/green-tailed-towhee-golden-currant-mia-mcpherson-7634.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":90856,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/06\/25\/green-tailed-towhee-close-up-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":52355,"position":4},"title":"Green-tailed Towhee Close Up Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 25, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"While photographing nesting House Wrens three days ago I was also able to photograph an adult Green-tailed Towhee up close in a serviceberry shrub.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Green-tailed Towhee in a serviceberry close up, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/green-tailed-towhee-in-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-6295.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/green-tailed-towhee-in-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-6295.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/green-tailed-towhee-in-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-6295.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/green-tailed-towhee-in-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-6295.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":102676,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/05\/27\/green-tailed-towhee-singing-from-a-treetop\/","url_meta":{"origin":52355,"position":5},"title":"Green-tailed Towhee Singing From A Treetop","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 27, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I was delighted to observe, hear and photograph a beautiful Green-tailed Towhee singing from a treetop two days ago high in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Treetop Green-tailed Towhee singing, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/green-tailed-towhee-singing-tree-top-mia-mcpherson-9448.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/green-tailed-towhee-singing-tree-top-mia-mcpherson-9448.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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