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Platte River Status: A common migrant, uncommon and local nesting species. Occurrence dates at the Mormon Island Crane Meadows, Hall County, range from 20 April to 28 October. Tout (1947) found the spotted race of rufous-sided towhee a common resident in Lincoln County, present 31 March to 18 November. Rosche (1979) reported rufous-sided towhees from the lower North Platte River Valley during 23 April to 14 October.

Breeding Range: Restricted during the nesting season in our area primarily to the Platte River Valley where it is an uncommon and local nesting species; occurs locally on the Dissected Plain. Short (1961) found rufous-sided towhee along the Platte and South Platte rivers west to Crook, Colorado.

Breeding Population: The population in 1979-1980 was estimated at 150 pairs. Because of the generally wide distribution pattern of this species, especially in lowland forest vegetation, we believe that our population figure is significantly underestimated.

Habitat: We recorded rufous-sided towhees on breeding bird census plots only in lowland forest where the mean density was 1.2 pairs/km². Rising (1974) considered rufous-sided towhee a low density summer resident in rank growths of riparian thicket in western Kansas. Stewart (1975) described rufous-sided towhee habitat in North Dakota as semiopen woodlands with a fairly dense understory of small trees and tall shrubs. Faanes and Andrew (1983) recorded largest breeding densities of rufous-sided towhees in northeastern North Dakota in mixed bur oak - green ash forest.

Effect of Habitat Alteration: Rufous-sided towhee has benefited from the de-watering of the Platte River system and the subsequent establishment of lowland forest vegetation. Extensive grazing of riparian woodlands may impact this species through reduction in the volume of foliage in the shrub layer.

Nesting Data: Mean clutch size among the four rufous-sided towhee nests found in Lincoln County in 1979 was 4.3 eggs. Tout (1947) found six nests in Lincoln County during 22 May to 25 June. Mean clutch size was 3.7 eggs; 67% of the nests were parasitized by brown-headed cowbirds. Kansas egg dates range from 21 April to 10 August (Johnsgard 1979); in North Dakota egg dates range from 6 to 20 June (Stewart 1975).