STATUS: Locally common.
HABITAT: Inhabits oak woodlands, chaparral, riparian woodlands, pinyon-juniper associations, and weedy areas in arid regions, usually near water.
SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Scattered oak trees and water.
NEST: Prefers to nest in lichen-infested blue oaks that grow close together on dry slopes. Also nests in sycamores, and will often nest in small colonies. Locates nests about 20 feet above the ground in the forks of tree branches, usually 3 to 6 feet from the top of a main branch.
FOOD: Primarily eats seeds, gleaning them from foliage and the ground. Mostly eats weed seeds, but also shrub seeds and insects.
REFERENCES: Coutlee 1968, Linsdale 1957, Verner and Boss 1980.