How to attract spotted towhees to your yard
Spotted 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 20 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 Spotted Towhee is a year-round resident in 10 states and provinces, including Arizona, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and 4 more — there, a yard can host it in every season. It arrives only to breed in 7, such as Alberta, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Saskatchewan, South Dakota and 1 more, so set up before spring arrival. It is a winter visitor in 3, including Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, where feeders and winter fruit matter most.
Plant what spotted towhees use
These native plants are tied to the Spotted 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth sumac Rhus glabra | Shrub | 19 | Red fruit heads hang on through winter. |
| Common sunflower Helianthus annuus | Perennial | 16 | Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed. |
| Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Perennial | 16 | Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches. |
| Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Perennial | 15 | Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows. |
| Little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium | Perennial | 13 | Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos. |
| Chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Shrub | 10 | Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load. |
| Tall goldenrod Solidago altissima | Perennial | 10 | Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter. |
| Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Vine | 9 | Blue fruit on red stems in early fall. |
| American elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | 7 | Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species. |
| Black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 7 | Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees. |
Your list covers 4 plant layers (shrub, perennial, vine, tree). Layering matters: mixing shrub, perennial, vine, tree gives spotted 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, berries and insects from leaf litter.
- Warm months
- Beetles and caterpillars
- Cold months
- Seeds and acorns
- At feeders
- Millet, Sunflower chips
Feeder style matters as much as food: low ground tray under cover is the first choice for this bird. Scratches noisily under shrubs — leaf litter is prime habitat. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Cup on or near the ground.
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
- 3–5 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–14 days
- Nestling period
- 10–12 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around March in Arizona but not until May in Wyoming. 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 spotted towhees to a yard?
Food they actually eat (millet, sunflower chips), native plants such as Smooth sumac, Common sunflower, Wild bergamot, clean water and suitable nesting cover: cup on or near the ground.
What plants attract spotted towhees?
Across the Spotted Towhee's range, the native plants most often tied to it are Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), Common sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting spotted towhees?
Nesting starts around March in Arizona and as late as May in Wyoming. Have cover, water ready a month before.
Sources
- Spotted Towhee — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Spotted Towhee life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Spotted 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.