Eastern Towhees in Arkansas
When eastern towhees are present in Arkansas, when they nest, which native Arkansas plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6b–8b yard.
- Status in Arkansas
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–July
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 6b–8b
When to expect eastern towhees in Arkansas
Eastern Towhees live in Arkansas all year. Mild winters with occasional ice storms that make suet and sheltered feeders critical for a few days at a time. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward ragweed seed, acorns and berries.
Humid subtropical, with the Ozark and Ouachita highlands in the northwest and the flat Mississippi Delta in the east.
Nesting in Arkansas
Across Arkansas, eastern towhees typically nest from May–July. Nest site: cup on or near the ground under shrubs. Females lay 2–6 eggs, incubate for 12–13 days, and young leave the nest after 10–12 days.
Hot, humid summers; shade nest boxes in the Delta.
- Eastern Towhees don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, serviceberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Arkansas plants that attract eastern towhees
Of the regional native plants we track for Arkansas, these 8 provide food or cover eastern towhees use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
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.
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.
Feeding eastern towhees through the Arkansas year
Towhees 'double-scratch' in leaf litter. Leave leaves under shrubs rather than raking them.
- Best foods: Millet, Cracked corn, Hulled sunflower.
- In Arkansas's winter: Mild winters with occasional ice storms that make suet and sheltered feeders critical for a few days at a time.
Full diet breakdown for eastern towhees · Best feeder for eastern towhees
Frequently asked
Are eastern towhees in Arkansas year-round?
Yes. Eastern Towhees are year-round residents in Arkansas.
When do eastern towhees nest in Arkansas?
Nesting in Arkansas typically runs May–July, with 2–3 per season. Clutches are 2–6 eggs, incubated for 12–13 days.
What native plants attract eastern towhees in Arkansas?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Smooth sumac, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Arkansas that provide food or cover for eastern towhees.
Eastern Towhees in other regions
Other backyard birds in Arkansas
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 — Arkansas
- 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.