Month by month

Spotted Towhee in March

Where spotted towhees are in March, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.

New World sparrows (Passerellidae)Spotted TowheePipilo maculatus

March in the Spotted Towhee's year

March is a month of transition. Winter visitors begin drifting north, the first spring migrants appear in the South, and resident birds are in full song. Weather swings hard — a warm week can push migration early, and a late blizzard can catch migrants short of food.

For the Spotted Towhee specifically, March is a spring month of relative routine, with the species settled into its seasonal pattern across its range. Across the 20 states and provinces where spotted towhees occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.

Where spotted towhees are in March

Southern states
absent
Mid-latitudes
year-round resident
Northern states & Canada
absent

In March, spotted towhees are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.

Nesting in March

Spotted towhees are not nesting in March. The season runs April–July at mid-latitudes, starting roughly a month earlier in the South.

Outside the nesting season, spotted towhees put their energy into feeding and flocking rather than territory and young — which is exactly what makes them easier to watch and attract this month.

What to feed in March

  • Seeds and acorns

Scratches noisily under shrubs — leaf litter is prime habitat.

Migration brings new faces to feeders. Keep seed fresh and watch for birds passing through that you won't see again until fall.

Full Spotted Towhee diet guide → · Best feeder for spotted towhees →

Watching spotted towhees this month

Spotted towhees are settled and predictable in March, which makes this a good month to learn the bird's routine — same feeders, same perches, same times of day.

The state guides below show exactly where in your region spotted towhees are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.

Spotted Towhee month by month

Spotted Towhee by state

Frequently asked

Where are spotted towhees in March?

In March, spotted towhees are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.

Do spotted towhees nest in March?

No — spotted towhees typically nest April through July at mid-latitudes.

What do spotted towhees eat in March?

Seeds and acorns.

Sources

  1. Spotted Towhee — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Spotted Towhee life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Spotted 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.