The Eastern Towhee, the eastern counterpart to the Spotted Towhee, breeds in shrubby woodland edges and thickets. Results from the Breeding Bird Survey in Canada suggest a 47% decrease in numbers since 1970. Less than 1% of the continental population breeds in Canada, making Canada's responsibility very low. However, because the species is also declining in the United States, maintaining the Canadian population is important for conservation. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
As with most shrubland or edge species, the decline in Eastern Towhee populations is thought to be due to changes in land use, intensification of agriculture, degradation of forest understories and loss of available habitat to urbanization (Bartos Smith and Greenlaw 2015). Natural succession also decreases available habitat, gradually changing abandoned farmland and thickets to forest. This loss and degradation is occurring both on the breeding grounds across southern Canada, as well as throughout the wintering grounds in the eastern United States (Bartos Smith and Greenlaw 2015).
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.