New World Sparrows
Pipilo erythrophthalmus
The Eastern Towhee is a striking, large New World sparrow often heard before it is seen, known for its industrious scratching in leaf litter. Males display bold black, white, and rufous plumage, while females exhibit a similar pattern in browns. These birds are characteristic of dense undergrowth and forest edges across eastern North America.
Typical adult measurements.
Individuals and populations vary.
01 / The telltale details
Start with shape and behavior. Then look for the smaller details.
Males have a black head, back, and wings, with rusty-orange sides and a white belly.
Females are similar to males but have chocolate-brown where the male is black.
Both sexes have a long tail with prominent white corners, often flashed during display or when disturbed.
Most Eastern Towhees have red eyes, though a white-eyed form occurs in parts of the Southeast and Florida.
02 / A place in the world
Eastern Towhees prefer brushy areas, forest edges, overgrown fields, and thickets with dense shrub cover and ample leaf litter. They can also be found in open woodlands with a well-developed understory.
This species breeds across eastern North America, from southeastern Saskatchewan and Quebec south to Florida and west to eastern Texas. It is a year-round resident in the southern half of its range, with northern populations migrating south for winter.
Northern populations of Eastern Towhees are migratory, moving to the southern United States for winter. Birds in the southern parts of their range are largely year-round residents, though some may undertake short-distance movements.
03 / Listen a little closer
The song is a short, musical phrase often rendered as "drink-your-teeeeea," with the final part being a trill. Their common call is a sharp, two-part "chewink" or "tow-hee."
04 / The life behind the feathers
Their diet is omnivorous, consisting of a variety of insects, spiders, millipedes, and other invertebrates, especially in summer. They also consume many seeds, acorns, berries, and small fruits, with diet varying seasonally and regionally.
Eastern Towhees primarily forage on the ground, using a distinctive two-footed backward hop to scratch through leaf litter and uncover hidden prey. They also eat from low shrubs.
The female builds a cup-shaped nest, typically on the ground concealed under shrubs or in low bushes, usually less than 1.5 meters high. Nests are constructed from grass, twigs, weeds, and bark, lined with finer materials.
Often secretive, Eastern Towhees are frequently detected by their rustling in the undergrowth. Males sing from higher perches during the breeding season and may chase females or flash their white tail spots during courtship. They are less territorial in winter and may join mixed-species flocks.
One more reason to pay attention
The Eastern Towhee and the Western North American Spotted Towhee were once considered the same species, known as the Rufous-sided Towhee, until 1995.
Eastern Towhees are frequent victims of brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds, which lay their eggs in towhee nests.
John White made the first written description of the Eastern Towhee in 1582 during a visit to Roanoke Island.
05 / An eye for the difference
AI-assisted species research. Prepared September 2026. Details can vary across regions and populations.
