Eastern Towhees in Pennsylvania
When eastern towhees are present in Pennsylvania, when they nest, which native Pennsylvania plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–7b yard.
- Status in Pennsylvania
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–July
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5a–7b
When to expect eastern towhees in Pennsylvania
Eastern Towhees live in Pennsylvania all year. Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state. 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, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.
Nesting in Pennsylvania
Across Pennsylvania, 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 summers; bluebirds typically raise two broods.
- Eastern Towhees don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as winterberry, black cherry, flowering dogwood for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Pennsylvania plants that attract eastern towhees
Of the regional native plants we track for Pennsylvania, these 8 provide food or cover eastern towhees use:
Winter fruit.
Summer fruit and a major caterpillar host.
Fall seed.
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.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Feeding eastern towhees through the Pennsylvania year
Towhees 'double-scratch' in leaf litter. Leave leaves under shrubs rather than raking them.
- Best foods: Millet, Cracked corn, Hulled sunflower.
- In Pennsylvania's winter: Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state.
Full diet breakdown for eastern towhees · Best feeder for eastern towhees
Frequently asked
Are eastern towhees in Pennsylvania year-round?
Yes. Eastern Towhees are year-round residents in Pennsylvania.
When do eastern towhees nest in Pennsylvania?
Nesting in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Winterberry, Black cherry, New England aster, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac are native plants in Pennsylvania that provide food or cover for eastern towhees.
Eastern Towhees in other regions
Other backyard birds in Pennsylvania
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 — Pennsylvania
- 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.