Perch Supply
Diet

What do eastern towhees eat?

Seeds, fruit and insects scratched from leaf litter.

New World sparrows (Passerellidae)Eastern TowheePipilo erythrophthalmus

Spring and summer diet

  • Beetles, caterpillars and spiders

Fall and winter diet

  • Ragweed seed, acorns and berries

Best feeder foods

  • Millet
  • Cracked corn
  • Hulled sunflower

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

Which feeder works best for eastern towhees →

Where eastern towhees need winter food

Regions where eastern towhees are present in the cold months:

AlabamaArkansasConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIndianaKentuckyLouisianaMarylandMassachusettsMississippiMissouriNew JerseyNorth CarolinaOhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaTennesseeTexasVirginiaWest Virginia

Frequently asked

What do eastern towhees eat?

Seeds, fruit and insects scratched from leaf litter.

What is the best food to feed eastern towhees?

Millet, Cracked corn, Hulled sunflower.

What do eastern towhees eat in winter?

Ragweed seed, acorns and berries.

Sources

  1. Eastern Towhee — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Eastern Towhee life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Eastern Towhee — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

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.