In Northwest Michigan, this attractive, approximately 7 inch bird with distinctive, red eyes, rusty sides, white belly, black back, head, beak, and a relatively long black tail with white outer feathers is found most often in second growth woodlands, forest edges, and shrubby uplands. Towhees are scarce in urban areas and extensive farmland.

The female Eastern Towhee is almost identical to the male except she is brown where he is black. Female Towhees may sing in the early spring.

Towhees spend much of their time on the ground foraging for food. Their food is comprised primarily of grass and forb seeds but also includes nuts, fruits, and terrestial invertebrates.

Towhees do ascend into a tree to perch and sing. They are easily identified by their very distinctive song which experts characterize by the words “drink your teeee”. I have heard them sing as late as August.
They also emit equally notable calls which experts describe as a slurred “towhee” and “chewink”.

Towhees usually raise two broods. They are for the most part ground nesters, which leaves their nests more susceptible to predators such as raccoon, fox, coyote and domestic cats. They are frequent cowbird hosts and usually accommodate the cowbird young. The female Towhee selects the nest site and broods the eggs. The male does most of the feeding. Occasionally the second nest is placed in a bush instead of on the ground.

In Leelanau County most Towhees would be migratory. Towhees have been known to winter over in NW Lower Michigan, however such occurrences are not the norm and seldom occur when snow cover is extensive and long lasting.

Towhees that migrate usually arrive in Leelanau and Grand Traverse in April and have left the area by the end of October.

~bob c.