The seclusive Abert's Towhee (Melozone aberti) is named after the American ornithologist James William Abert (1820–1897), an American soldier, explorer, bird collector and topographical artist. Abert's towhee has one of the smallest home ranges of any bird found in North America and prefers to stay well-hidden under bushes. Mostly found in southern and western Arizona, it is also present in small parts of California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Sonora in Mexico. Like other towhees, it scratches at the ground in a manner similar to quail, and will sometimes dig up and eat grubs.
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