About Melozone fusca (Swainson, 1827)
Melozone fusca (Swainson, 1827) measures 19 to 25 cm (7.5 to 9.8 in) in total length, with a noticeably long tail ranging from 8.2 to 11 cm (3.2 to 4.3 in). This species weighs between 36.5 to 67 g (1+1⁄4 to 2+1⁄4 oz), with an average weight of around 45 g (1+1⁄2 oz). Standard measurements are as follows: wing chord is 8.2 to 10.1 cm (3.2 to 4.0 in), bill is 1.4 to 1.7 cm (0.55 to 0.67 in), and tarsus is 2.3 to 2.7 cm (0.91 to 1.06 in). Its plumage is earthy brown, with lighter underparts and a darker head featuring a rufous cap; birds from central Mexico are an exception, as their cap matches the color of their back. There is also a slightly reddish area under the tail, and this species shows very little sexual dimorphism. This towhee is native to lower elevation areas ranging from Arizona, southern Colorado, New Mexico and western Texas in the United States south to northwestern Oaxaca, Mexico, and it mostly stays away from coastal regions. Its natural habitat is brush or chaparral.
