Eastern x Spotted Towhee 1
From Tamarack Ranch, Logan County, Colorado on 25 May 2012. Note that this bird has relatively small tail spots and only one or two flecks of white on the scapulars. This suggests that this is a cross between Eastern Towhee and the montanus race of Spotted Towhee rather than the arcticus race of Spotted Towhee. Arcticus averages much more white above than montanus and has large white tail spots, like Eastern Towhee; thus a cross between an arcticus Spotted Towhee and an Eastern Towhee (which is more frequent due to larger zone of contact) would show larger white tail spots than this bird, and most likely, more spotting above.
Eastern x Spotted Towhee 1
From Tamarack Ranch, Logan County, Colorado on 25 May 2012. Note that this bird has relatively small tail spots and only one or two flecks of white on the scapulars. This suggests that this is a cross between Eastern Towhee and the montanus race of Spotted Towhee rather than the arcticus race of Spotted Towhee. Arcticus averages much more white above than montanus and has large white tail spots, like Eastern Towhee; thus a cross between an arcticus Spotted Towhee and an Eastern Towhee (which is more frequent due to larger zone of contact) would show larger white tail spots than this bird, and most likely, more spotting above.