Montana Field Guide

Upperparts, sides of neck, tertials, and upperwing-coverts cinnamon brown. Rump brighter cinnamon, uppertail-coverts and tail rufous brown, contrastingly brighter than remainder of upperparts. Spot in front of eye dull black; stripe over eye grayish olive brown. Ear-coverts dark olive brown, narrowly streaked pale buff. Indistinct pale buff eye-ring. Lower cheeks, chin, and throat pale buff or cream; distinct dull black malar stripe down sides of throat. Ground color of chest pale cream buff. Sides of breast, flanks, and sides of vent pale olive brown or buff brown, merging into white on central belly and vent; undertail-coverts cream buff, pale buff, or buff white.

For a comprehensive review of the conservation status, habitat use, and ecology of this and other Montana bird species, please see Marks et al. 2016, Birds of Montana.

In the Bozeman area, normal migration periods are not discernible.

Species prefers interior forest edges such as margins of ponds and edges of meadows in forested areas.

During breeding diet consists mostly of animal matter, especially insects and other small invertebrates. During migration and winter, diet supplemented by wide variety of fruits.

Territory sizes of 5.1 to 5.6 acres in Douglas-fir or lodgepole pine forests in western Montana have been reported.

Two, occasionally three broods consisting of four eggs per brood. Incubation period 12 to 13 days. Young able to fly twelve days after hatch.