Eastern Towhee

Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernOmnivoreForestCup nestSmall · 40 g

What the Eastern Towhee sounds like

Sonogram of the Eastern Towhee: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by steve · Call · Chapel Hill, Orange County, North Carolina, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Eastern Towhee: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma · Song · Afton State Park, Washington County, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Eastern Towhee: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma · Call · Afton State Park, Washington County, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The eastern towhee is a large and striking species of sparrow. The total length ranges from 17.3 to 23 cm (6.8 to 9.1 in) and the wingspan is 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in). The body of mass of this species ranges from 32 to 53 g (1.1 to 1.9 oz), with an average of 40 g (1.4 oz). Adults have rufous sides, a white belly, and a long dark tail with white edges. The eyes are red for most populations, though populations in the southeastern U.S. have yellow eyes – often referred to as the "white-eye morph." Males have a black head, upper body, and tail; these parts are brown in the female.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Eastern Towhee

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 10 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Eastern Towhee

Regular range

The map shades 4 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

About the Eastern Towhee

The eastern towhee, also known as chewink, joree, or joree bird, is a large New World sparrow. The taxonomy of the towhees has been under debate in recent decades, and formerly this bird and the spotted towhee were considered a single species, the rufous-sided towhee.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: Eastern Towhee vs Spotted Towhee · Eastern Towhee vs Green-tailed Towhee · Collared Towhee vs Eastern Towhee

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