of eastern towhees below from the ground occurred significantly (p<0.05) more than expected based on random spatial distribution, and observations above occurred significantly (p<0.05) less than would be expected. In a Louisiana bottomland forest 62% of eastern towhee observations were within of the ground, and only 4% were observed above . In the spring this changed, with detections of eastern towhees below declining from 70% to 65% and detections in the canopy (>) increasing from 4% to 7%. Eastern towhees occur in many habitats, from tallgrass prairies and marshes to mature forests. However, eastern towhees are most common in early successional stands, habitat edges, and areas with similar vegetation structure throughout eastern forests. In most communities eastern towhees are more abundant in young successional stands. Several studies found increased eastern towhee abundance on early successional sites compared to later-successional sites. Mean number of breeding eastern towhees (0.70 bird/50-m radius) and nest success rate (58%) were higher in a 15-year-old clearcut in West Virginia, than in other treatments, including a stand of yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), black cherry, red maple, sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and white ash (Fraxinus americana) that was not harvested. In a southern Missouri oak-hickory forest, eastern towhees were not present before clearcutting or in the nearby uncut forest after cutting, but occurred at a mean density of 9.3 birds/10 ha in a 3-year-old clearcut. A study of stands of varying ages in central New York found that eastern towhee density peaked in early successional stands. Although eastern towhees generally prefer young successional sites, variation between habitat types and years has been observed. Krementz and Powell found higher relative abundance of eastern towhee in young (2–6 years old) stands of loblolly and longleaf pine than mature (32–98 years old) stands when investigated in 1995. However, in stands compared in 1996, the 95% confidence intervals of eastern towhee relative abundance on the 2 sites had a substantial degree of overlap. The degree to which eastern towhee responds to succession is influenced by habitat. For example, in Pennsylvania there was a significant (p<0.05) difference between eastern towhee densities (number/10 ha) between mature mixed-oak forest and stands that had been clearcut about 5 years previously. However, eastern towhee densities did not differ significantly between a 1-year old mixed aspen (Populus tremuloides, P. grandidentata) clearcut, a 5-year old aspen clearcut, and a mature aspen stand. Eastern towhee abundance has been shown to peak