Eastern Towhee
Photo: Paul Danese · CC BY-SA 4.0

New World Sparrows

Eastern Towhee

Pipilo erythrophthalmus

LCLeast Concern
Family
New World Sparrows (Passerellidae)
Order
Passeriformes

Overview

The eastern towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), 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.
Their breeding habitat is brushy areas across eastern North America. They nest either low in bushes or on the ground under shrubs.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.