When do eastern towhees arrive in Vermont?
The Eastern Towhee is a summer breeder in Vermont — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Eastern Towhee timing in Vermont
- Arrives
- Around May
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- June–July
- Present roughly
- May–August
In Vermont, eastern towhees are present through the warm months, arriving around May and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Vermont sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here runs later than the continental average — the season starts later this far north and the birds wait for it. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when eastern towhees are expected in Vermont. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before May is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early May — the first eastern towhees into Vermont are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around June, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What eastern towhees eat while they're here
- Beetles, caterpillars and spiders
Towhees 'double-scratch' in leaf litter. Leave leaves under shrubs rather than raking them.
Full Eastern Towhee diet guide → · Best feeder for eastern towhees →
Native plants that hold eastern towhees in Vermont
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Vermont-native plants are known to attract eastern towhees:
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do eastern towhees arrive in Vermont?
eastern towhees typically arrive in Vermont around May, with nesting underway by June. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do eastern towhees leave Vermont?
Most eastern towhees have left Vermont by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do eastern towhees stay in Vermont all year?
No — in Vermont the Eastern Towhee is a summer breeder, present roughly May–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before eastern towhees arrive in Vermont?
Have feeders up and clean by early May — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: beetles, caterpillars and spiders.
Sources
- Eastern Towhee — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Towhee life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Towhee — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Vermont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.