![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/green-tailed-towhee-2982b-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"green-tailed-towhee-2982b-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nIncluding my best documentary photo yet of a juvenile, taken earlier this week.<\/p>\n
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1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Two days ago in the mountains this juvenile Green-tailed Towhee landed below and behind me and it was very close but while shooting from my pickup the angle out my window was so awkward I had to contort myself into such a position I almost broke my neck trying to get some photos of it (no kidding).<\/p>\n I wouldn’t call it a pretty shot but it’s my best and most detailed documentary photo of a juvenile to date.<\/p>\n As in many species juvenile Green-tailed Towhees look much different than adults. They’re mainly brownish gray above and almost white below with dark streaking throughout but the green on their tails and wings gives them away. To my eye that looks like green down feathers on the lesser coverts “shoulder”. Juveniles lack all of the more striking and contrasting plumage characteristics of the adult.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/5.6, ISO 540, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n If it survives long enough this is what the juvenile will grow up to look like. Adults (both sexes) are unmistakable with olive green upperparts and tail, gray breast, bold throat markings and conspicuous reddish brown cap. This photo from my archives with the tail slightly flared shows the green on the ventral surface of that long tail. Until I took this shot I didn’t even know the ventral tail surface is also green.<\/p>\n Finding this species out in the open like this is pretty unusual in my experience. This presumed male was singing on territory but usually they’re scurrying around on the ground or…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n buried in low vegetation as they’re foraging for food so it’s nearly always extremely challenging to get a clear shot. This photo, taken three days ago, demonstrates their affinity for dense habitats.<\/p>\n As a result they’re difficult to photograph, observe and study, which is one of the reasons Cornell’s BNA Online refers to them as\u00a0“one of North America’s least well-known birds.”<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Including my best documentary photo yet of a juvenile, taken earlier this week.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/green-tailed-towhee-8823-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"green-tailed-towhee-8823-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/green-tailed-towhee-2529b-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"green-tailed-towhee-2529b-ron-dudley\\"")
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