Ohio · Year-round resident

Eastern Towhees in Ohio

When eastern towhees are present in Ohio, when they nest, which native Ohio plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7a yard.

New World sparrows (Passerellidae)Eastern TowheePipilo erythrophthalmus

Status in Ohio: Year-round resident
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 2–3 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 5b–7a

When to expect eastern towhees in Ohio

Eastern Towhees live in Ohio all year. Snow and sub-freezing stretches are routine; Carolina Chickadees hold the south and Black-capped 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 continental; cold winters and warm summers, with Lake Erie moderating the north coast.

Nesting in Ohio

Across Ohio, 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.

Warm, humid summers; western Lake Erie marshes are a major migration stopover.

Eastern Towhees don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as serviceberry, spicebush, eastern red cedar for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Ohio plants that attract eastern towhees

Of the regional native plants we track for Ohio, these 8 provide food or cover eastern towhees use:

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early fruit.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

High-fat fall berries.

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Winter cover and fruit.

Wild bergamot

Monarda fistulosa · Perennial

Summer nectar and fall seed.

Purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea · Perennial

Seed heads.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata · Shrub

Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina · Shrub

Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.

Feeding eastern towhees through the Ohio year

Towhees 'double-scratch' in leaf litter. Leave leaves under shrubs rather than raking them.

Best foods: Millet, Cracked corn, Hulled sunflower.
In Ohio's winter: Snow and sub-freezing stretches are routine; Carolina Chickadees hold the south and Black-capped the north.

Full diet breakdown for eastern towhees · Best feeder for eastern towhees

Frequently asked

Are eastern towhees in Ohio year-round?

Yes. Eastern Towhees are year-round residents in Ohio.

When do eastern towhees nest in Ohio?

Nesting in Ohio 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 Ohio?

Serviceberry, Spicebush, Eastern red cedar, Wild bergamot, Purple coneflower, Flowering dogwood, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac are native plants in Ohio that provide food or cover for eastern towhees.

Other backyard birds in Ohio

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Eurasian Collared-Dove

Sources

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.