Spotted Towhees in California

Spotted Towhees live in California all year. Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward seeds and acorns.

Mediterranean along the coast and Central Valley, alpine in the Sierra Nevada, and desert in the southeast.

Across California, spotted towhees typically nest from March–July. Nest site: cup on or near the ground. Females lay 3–5 eggs, incubate for 12–14 days, and young leave the nest after 10–12 days.

Dry summers with little rain from May to October; water and summer-blooming natives matter more than extra seed.

• Spotted Towhees don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as smooth sumac, chokecherry, red-osier dogwood for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

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

Scratches noisily under shrubs — leaf litter is prime habitat.

• Best foods: Millet, Sunflower chips.
• In California's winter: Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in.

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