Region

Western North America

Typical Environment

Breeds across the interior West, especially the Rocky Mountains, Great Basin ranges, and adjacent high plateaus from the interior of British Columbia and Alberta south through the United States to Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and northern Arizona and New Mexico. In winter it moves to lower elevations and latitudes across the southwestern United States and into northwestern Mexico. Typical breeding habitats include montane coniferous forest edges, willow–alder riparian thickets, aspen slopes, and brushy clearings. During migration and winter it favors chaparral, desert riparian corridors, and dense shrublands. It generally remains close to ground cover and patchy undergrowth.

Altitude Range

500–3200 m

Climate Zone

Highland

Temperament

shy and skulking

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with low, direct dashes between cover

Social Behavior

Typically solitary or in pairs during breeding; forms loose flocks with other sparrows in winter. Nests are placed low in dense shrubs or on/near the ground, built from grasses and twigs. Pairs are monogamous for the season, and males sing from prominent perches near territories.

Migratory Pattern

Seasonal migrant

Song Description

A rich, loud, and musical series of clear whistled notes, often starting with a few sharp introductory phrases and then flowing into varied trills. Call notes include a sharp smack or chup given from dense cover.

Diet

Eats a mix of insects and other invertebrates, especially in the breeding season, along with seeds and small berries. Insects include beetles, caterpillars, and ants gleaned from leaf litter. Fruits such as elderberry and serviceberry are taken in late summer and fall, while grass and weed seeds make up more of the winter diet.

Preferred Environment

Forages on the ground under dense shrubs, in riparian thickets, and at forest edges with ample leaf litter. In winter it uses chaparral and brushy desert washes, often near water or in hedgerows.