The Eastern Towhee is a bird of forest edges and shrubby fields where they scratch around on the ground for seeds, fruits, grains, and insects. I see them occasionally foraging under our shrubs and I hear them frequently in spring and summer calling from the brushy field bordering our property. What I’ll never see is their nest in the wild, which is always well concealed on the ground. Hence, I put the towhee on my short list of nests to pull from the shelves when I visited the NYS Museum ornithology collection in 2024. This one is a perfect construction of grapevine bark and small twigs. Built by the female in about five days with the intention of lasting a season, this one is more than 125 years old.

Tips & Techniques– While I like the energy inherent in sketches where time is limited, I sometimes lament the sloppiness that can come with it. In contrast, I find it satisfying to work slowly and see what I can achieve by being more careful. This piece is clearly in the slow category. Try working both ways. It will give you options for picking the approach that suits your time and the subject at hand, and push you to become comfortable with both.

The Art of the Bird— If you’d like to learn more about sketching and painting nests (as well as eggs and feathers), check out my upcoming online class, The Art of the Bird. Starting Tuesday, April 1, this 2-hour class is every other week through the beginning of May through Winslow Art Center.