Other Scientific Names
Pipilo albicollis [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)], Pipilo albicollis [Stotz et al. (1996)], Pipilo albicollis [BirdLife International (2004, 2008)], Pyrgisoma albicolle
White-throated Towhee (Melozone albicollis) [XC732166]
by Manuel Grosselet from San Pablo Etla, San Pablo Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico (call)
White-throated Towhee (Melozone albicollis) [XC384769]
by Omar Su\u00e1rez Garc\u00eda from Oaxaca, San Augustin Etla, terreno de Golf, Mexico (flight call, song)
Subspecies
Formerly placed in genus Pipilo and sometimes in Melozone. Molecular analysis indicates that Canyon Towhee (Melozone fusca) is a sister-taxon.
Proposed subspecies parvirostre (described from north-central Oaxaca) was based on seasonal differences in plumage and bill length; synonymized with nominate.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
marshalli (Parkes, 1974) - Southern Puebla (possibly also eastern Guerrero), in southern Mexico.
albicollis (P. L. Sclater, 1858) - Oak-pine zone of southern Mexico (southern Puebla and eastern Guerrero to central Oaxaca).