How to attract eastern towhees to your yard
Eastern Towhees respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 34 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. The Eastern Towhee is a year-round resident in 24 states and provinces, including Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia and 18 more — there, a yard can host it in every season. It arrives only to breed in 10, such as Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire and 4 more, so set up before spring arrival.
Plant what eastern towhees use
These native plants are tied to the Eastern Towhee in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern red cedar Juniperus virginiana | Tree | 34 | Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter. |
| Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 34 | Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed. |
| Smooth sumac Rhus glabra | Shrub | 32 | Red fruit heads hang on through winter. |
| Winterberry Ilex verticillata | Shrub | 31 | Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter. |
| Flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 28 | Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers. |
| Black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 26 | Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees. |
| Staghorn sumac Rhus typhina | Shrub | 26 | Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food. |
| American elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | 23 | Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species. |
| Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum | Shrub | 9 | Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover. |
| Coral honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens | Vine | 5 | Blooms spring through summer. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (tree, shrub, vine). Layering matters: mixing tree, shrub, vine gives eastern towhees food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Seeds, fruit and insects scratched from leaf litter.
- Warm months
- Beetles, caterpillars and spiders
- Cold months
- Ragweed seed, acorns and berries
- At feeders
- Millet, Cracked corn, Hulled sunflower
Feeder style matters as much as food: low ground tray under cover is the first choice for this bird. Towhees 'double-scratch' in leaf litter. Leave leaves under shrubs rather than raking them. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Cup on or near the ground under shrubs.
It does not use nest boxes, so the way to host a nest is cover: keep dense native shrubs, vines or trees of the kind listed above, and avoid pruning them during the nesting season.
- Clutch
- 2–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–13 days
- Nestling period
- 10–12 days
- Broods per year
- 2–3 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around April in Alabama but not until June in Wisconsin. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; residents usually find a stocked yard first.
Frequently asked
What attracts eastern towhees to a yard?
Food they actually eat (millet, cracked corn, hulled sunflower), native plants such as Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Smooth sumac, clean water and suitable nesting cover: cup on or near the ground under shrubs.
What plants attract eastern towhees?
Across the Eastern Towhee's range, the native plants most often tied to it are Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting eastern towhees?
Nesting starts around April in Alabama and as late as June in Wisconsin. Have cover, water ready a month before.
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
- 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.