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Eastern Towhee Photos

Photography by Terry Sohl

My Favorite: Eastern Towhees are quite a common species in parts of southeastern South Dakota. As you can tell from the photos below, Newton Hills State Park certainly has plenty of Eastern Towhees in spring, summer, and fall. They're tricky though at Newton Hills! Not only are there Eastern Towhees there, but there are Spotted Towhees. The two have learned each other's songs! You can't count on identifying them by voice.

You certainly can identify them visually though. My favorite photo below is from Newton Hills on April 23rd, 2017.

Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus 

Eastern Towhee 1 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus Eastern Towhee 2 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus Eastern Towhee 3 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus Eastern Towhee 4 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 1 

Eastern Towhee 2 

Eastern Towhee 3 

Eastern Towhee 4 

May 13th, 2006 

May 13th, 2006 

May 13th, 2006 

May 13th, 2006 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Male perched amidst new spring deciduous foliage 

Male singing in fresh spring foliage

Male clambering through tree branches, foraging 

Female sitting on fallen, lichen-covered log 

Eastern Towhee 5 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 6 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 7 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 8 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 5 

Eastern Towhee 6 

Eastern Towhee 7 

Eastern Towhee 8 

May 16th, 2007 

May 16th, 2007 

July 13th, 2008 

August 28th, 2009 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Male perched on tree branch in forest habitat 

Male in head-on view in eastern red cedar 

Male in tree foliage on bright sunny afternoon 

Male perched on eastern red cedar (juniper) with many berries 

Eastern Towhee 9 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 10 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 11 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 12 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 9 

Eastern Towhee 10

Eastern Towhee 11 

Eastern Towhee 12

September 13th, 2009 

May 28th, 2010 

May 17th, 2011 

May 17th, 2011 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Big Sioux Recreation Area, South Dakota 

Big Sioux Recreation Area, South Dakota 

Scruffy looking, young, first-year male 

Male singing its heart out on a fallen branch

Female perched on dead tree branch 

Female perched on dead tree branch 

Eastern Towhee 13 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 14 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 15 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus 

Eastern Towhee 16 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Eastern Towhee 13 

Eastern Towhee 14 

Eastern Towhee 15

Eastern Towhee 16

October 5th, 2014 

May 17th, 2013 

April 23rd, 2017 

April 23rd, 2017 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

Female perched in eastern red cedar (juniper) tree with blue berries 

Profile of male singing on tree branch 

Male posing in eastern red cedar in perfect morning light 

Profile of male perched in eastern red cedar in perfect morning light 

Eastern Towhee 17 - Pipilo erythrophthalmus       

Eastern Towhee 17 

     

May 5th, 2019 

 

 

 

Newton Hills State Park, South Dakota 

 

 

 

Spring male perched on the edge of a dead tree branch 

 

 

 

Click here for the species description page for the Eastern Towhee.

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Please mail any comments/suggestions/additional links for this page to: Terry L. Sohl