Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) is in the New World Sparrows family (Passerellidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 38,289 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Eastern Towhee: observations by month (U.S.)
About Eastern Towhee
The eastern towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) 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.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Eastern Towhee by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 4,247 | April | Jan–Jul |
| Virginia | 2,935 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Pennsylvania | 2,657 | April | Apr–Jul |
| Massachusetts | 2,342 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Georgia | 2,324 | April | Jan–Jul |
| Florida | 2,323 | April | Jan–Aug |
| Ohio | 2,218 | April | Mar–May |
| Maryland | 2,125 | April | Mar–May |
| Tennessee | 2,039 | April | Jan–Jul |
| New York | 1,995 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Illinois | 1,500 | April | Apr–May |
| South Carolina | 1,336 | April | Dec–Aug |
| Alabama | 1,260 | April | Jan–Aug |
| New Jersey | 1,035 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Indiana | 746 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Wisconsin | 725 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Michigan | 706 | April | Apr–Jul |
| West Virginia | 616 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Kentucky | 548 | April | Jan–Jun |
| Texas | 520 | January | Nov–Apr |
| Minnesota | 509 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Connecticut | 380 | May | Apr–May |
| Vermont | 376 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Missouri | 365 | April | Mar–May |
| Mississippi | 364 | April | Dec–Aug |
| Rhode Island | 321 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Delaware | 273 | April | Mar–May |
| Louisiana | 273 | April | Nov–May |
| New Hampshire | 251 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Maine | 231 | May | Apr–Jul |
| District of Columbia | 168 | April | Apr–May |
| Arkansas | 147 | March | Jan–Jun |
| Iowa | 138 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Nebraska | 135 | May | Apr–May |
| Oklahoma | 64 | April | Oct–Apr |
| Kansas | 40 | April | Mar–May |
| South Dakota | 26 | May | May–Jun |
| Colorado | 17 | May | May–May |
| New Mexico | 9 | December | Dec–Jan |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (New World Sparrows)
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Eastern Towhee?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to July.
Where is Eastern Towhee most often seen?
The most observations come from North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania.