Pipilo erythrophthalmus

ON EXHIBIT:  Cove Forest and Delta Swamp at River Journey

FUN FACTS
The male has a black head, throat, back and tail set off by a red eye and a dark beak.  The flanks are rusty red with a white belly. The female is brown where the male is black and has a brown eye. This bird is mostly a resident in its range and does not migrate very far.  It is named for its call, which sounds like “towhee.”  They are often seen on the ground near backyard feeders scratching for food.

CONSERVATION
Eastern towhees are protected by the Migratory Bird Act and their populations are stable. The Tennessee Aquarium has a pair in the Delta Swamp and Cove Forest and they have bred in both exhibits.