Eastern Towhees in Georgia
When eastern towhees are present in Georgia, when they nest, which native Georgia plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–9a yard.
- Status in Georgia
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 7a–9a
When to expect eastern towhees in Georgia
Eastern Towhees live in Georgia all year. Mild winters bring irregular purple finch and pine-siskin irruptions from the north. 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 cooler mountains in the north and a warm coastal plain in the south.
Nesting in Georgia
Across Georgia, eastern towhees typically nest from April–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; bluebirds can raise three broods but boxes in full sun overheat.
- Eastern Towhees don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, american beautyberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Georgia plants that attract eastern towhees
Of the regional native plants we track for Georgia, these 8 provide food or cover eastern towhees use:
High-fat fall fruit critical before migration and winter.
Winter berry-cones and dense roosting cover.
Fall fruit.
Nectar through spring and summer.
Early-summer berries.
Seed heads in fall.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Feeding eastern towhees through the Georgia year
Towhees 'double-scratch' in leaf litter. Leave leaves under shrubs rather than raking them.
- Best foods: Millet, Cracked corn, Hulled sunflower.
- In Georgia's winter: Mild winters bring irregular purple finch and pine-siskin irruptions from the north.
Full diet breakdown for eastern towhees · Best feeder for eastern towhees
Frequently asked
Are eastern towhees in Georgia year-round?
Yes. Eastern Towhees are year-round residents in Georgia.
When do eastern towhees nest in Georgia?
Nesting in Georgia typically runs April–July, with 2–3 per season. Clutches are 2–6 eggs, incubated for 12–13 days.
What native plants attract eastern towhees in Georgia?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, American beautyberry, Coral honeysuckle, Serviceberry, Black-eyed Susan, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac are native plants in Georgia that provide food or cover for eastern towhees.
Eastern Towhees in other regions
Other backyard birds in Georgia
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 — Georgia
- 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.