Eastern Towhee

Males are striking with jet-black upperparts and hoods, rufous (reddish-brown) flanks, and a white belly. Females are similar but have warm brown where the male is black. Both have white patches on the wing corners and outer tail feathers.

Adults have bright red eyes (though some coastal populations have white eyes), dark upperparts, rufous sides, and white bellies.

Length: 6.7-9.1 in (17-23 cm); Wingspan: 7.9-11.8 in (20-30 cm); Weight: 1.1-1.8 oz (32-52 g).

The song is a musical 'drink-your-tea'. The call is a sharp, rising 'chewink' or 'towhee'.

Omnivorous; they eat seeds, fruits, insects, spiders, and occasionally small lizards or snakes. They forage by hopping and scratching the ground with both feet simultaneously.

Shrug-lands, overgrown fields, forest edges, and thickets. They prefer dense undergrowth.

Partial migrant. Northern populations move to the southern US for winter, while southern populations are permanent residents.

Nests are usually built on or near the ground in dense vegetation. They lay 2-6 eggs that are creamy white with reddish spots. Females do most of the incubation.

Spotted Towhee (identified by white spots on back/wings), Spotted and Eastern were once considered the same species ($Rufous-sided Towhee$).

They act as seed dispersers and help control insect populations. They are also common hosts for the parasitic Brown-headed Cowbird.

Least Concern (IUCN), though populations have seen a gradual decline due to habitat loss.

Look for them on the ground in brushy areas or at the edges of forests. Listen for their scratching in dead leaves which often sounds louder than expected for a bird of their size.

The name 'Towhee' is an onomatopoeic representation of its common call note. They are famous for their 'double-scratch' foraging move, jumping backward and forward to uncover seeds.