Eastern Towhees in Louisiana
When eastern towhees are present in Louisiana, when they nest, which native Louisiana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 8a–10a yard.
- Status in Louisiana
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 8a–10a
When to expect eastern towhees in Louisiana
Eastern Towhees live in Louisiana all year. Mild winters make Louisiana a major wintering ground for sparrows, wrens, and even western hummingbirds. 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 coastal marsh, bottomland hardwood forest and piney uplands in the north.
Nesting in Louisiana
Across Louisiana, 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.
Very hot, humid summers and hurricane season June–November.
- 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 Louisiana plants that attract eastern towhees
Of the regional native plants we track for Louisiana, 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 Louisiana year
Towhees 'double-scratch' in leaf litter. Leave leaves under shrubs rather than raking them.
- Best foods: Millet, Cracked corn, Hulled sunflower.
- In Louisiana's winter: Mild winters make Louisiana a major wintering ground for sparrows, wrens, and even western hummingbirds.
Full diet breakdown for eastern towhees · Best feeder for eastern towhees
Frequently asked
Are eastern towhees in Louisiana year-round?
Yes. Eastern Towhees are year-round residents in Louisiana.
When do eastern towhees nest in Louisiana?
Nesting in Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Smooth sumac, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Louisiana that provide food or cover for eastern towhees.
Eastern Towhees in other regions
Other backyard birds in Louisiana
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 — Louisiana
- 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.