Eastern Towhee

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Eastern Towhee
The Eastern Towhee is a bird that calls either its name, towhee, or the vernacular expression, chewink. The distinctive song typically has two introductory notes—the second lower in pitch, followed by a higher pitched trill. It sounds much like drink your teeeeeee.

This large, long-tailed sparrow, which is seven to eight inches in length, is a common and sometimes secretive denizen of thickets. Typical habitat for towhees is undergrowth and the brushy edges of open woods. Young jack pines or second-growth oak forests are favored in the Northeast, whereas southern birds seek scrub oak or palmetto. In these haunts the Eastern Towhee searches for insects and other invertebrates, as well as seeds and berries, with a characteristic scratching behavior. These towhees make a short jump forward and then scratch back with both feet at once to uncover their food.
Eastern Towhee Range Map

The Eastern Towhee prefers the mid stages of plant succession, from field to forest. This species benefited when forests were cleared in the last century, because appropriate habitat was created. Currently, however, populations in the Northeast are waning as the land reverts to mature forest.

During winter, northern populations migrate, but southern birds are typically permanent residents. Groups of wintering towhees may join foraging flocks of mixed species, accompanying Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, and Tufted Titmice.

Description: The pattern of the dark upper parts and hood, the rusty orange flanks, and the white belly make the Eastern Towhee a distinctive and easily recognized bird. In males, the upper breast, head, back, wings, and tail are black, but in females the same parts are warm brown. The white base of the primary feathers creates a "speculum" on closed wings, and the outer primary and tertial feathers of the wings have white edges. The tail has white edges and corners, and the undertail coverts are buff in color. The iris of the eye is bright red in northern birds, orange to orangish white in the Towhees of coastal Georgia and northern Florida, and yellowish white in central Florida birds.

At one time, the Eastern Towhee and the closely related Spotted Towhee from the western United States were known collectively as the Rufous-sided Towhee. Today, they are considered separate species.

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