Eastern Towhee
Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 40 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passerellidae New World Sparrows
- Genus Pipilo
- Species erythrophthalmus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 40 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Male has a jet-black hood, throat, back, wings, and tail with rufous (rusty-orange) sides and a white belly; the female shares the identical pattern but with all the black areas replaced by warm brown. Both sexes show white tail corners, a white wing flash, and a red eye (white/pale-eyed in Florida and southeast Georgia).
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles are brown and heavily dark-streaked, looking sparrow-like and lacking the clean rufous sides, though the white wing and tail markings already match the adults.
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Eastern Towhee is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Eastern Towhee is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) is a member of the Passerellidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans North America. Its distribution covers NA s Canada and c, e USA.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 40 g, with a wing length of about 8.2 cm and a tail of around 9.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Eastern Towhee?
The Eastern Towhee is a small bird that weighs around 40 g.
Where does the Eastern Towhee live?
The Eastern Towhee is found across North America with a range covering NA s Canada and c, e USA, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Eastern Towhee belong to?
The Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Eastern Towhee eat?
The Eastern Towhee is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Eastern Towhee migrate?
The Eastern Towhee is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Eastern Towhee endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Eastern Towhee make?
1 real field recording of the Eastern Towhee — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Eastern Towhee's range?
The Eastern Towhee has a mapped global range of about 3.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
How to Attract Eastern Towhee to Your Yard
The honest, data-backed way to attract Eastern Towhee to your yard — the feeders and food they actually use (black-oil sunflower), nesting help, and habitat that brings them in.