Oklahoma · Year-round resident

Eastern Towhees in Oklahoma

When eastern towhees are present in Oklahoma, when they nest, which native Oklahoma plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–8a yard.

New World sparrows (Passerellidae)Eastern TowheePipilo erythrophthalmus

Status in Oklahoma: Year-round resident
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 2–3 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 6a–8a

When to expect eastern towhees in Oklahoma

Eastern Towhees live in Oklahoma all year. Mild winters with occasional severe ice storms. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward ragweed seed, acorns and berries.

Humid in the forested east, semi-arid in the western plains and Panhandle.

Nesting in Oklahoma

Across Oklahoma, 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 summers with strong winds; water is especially valuable in the west.

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 Oklahoma plants that attract eastern towhees

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

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

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

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

Virginia creeper

Parthenocissus quinquefolia · Vine

Blue fruit on red stems in early fall.

Feeding eastern towhees through the Oklahoma year

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

Best foods: Millet, Cracked corn, Hulled sunflower.
In Oklahoma's winter: Mild winters with occasional severe ice storms.

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

Frequently asked

Are eastern towhees in Oklahoma year-round?

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

When do eastern towhees nest in Oklahoma?

Nesting in Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma?

Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Smooth sumac, Black cherry, American elderberry, Spicebush, Virginia creeper are native plants in Oklahoma that provide food or cover for eastern towhees.

Other backyard birds in Oklahoma

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird 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-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Painted Bunting Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Black-crested Titmouse Black-chinned Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Spotted Towhee Canyon Towhee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Ladder-backed Woodpecker Curve-billed Thrasher Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Bullock's Oriole 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.