STATUS: Uncommon.
HABITAT: In desert regions, inhabits tall, dense sagebrush or other brushland areas covered with a variety of plant species. Prefers slopes with rocky outcrops and scattered pinyon or juniper trees. In the Far West, inhabits dry chaparral habitat with a variety of shrubs and scrub oak.
SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Chaparral and sage habitat with rocky outcrops.
NEST: Generally builds a compact cup nest of dry grasses, often lined with animal hair, typically placed at the base of a shrub or in the lower portions of sage and shrub, occasionally up to 40 inches above the ground.
FOOD: Forages through sage and chaparral habitat, presumably taking a variety of seeds, berries, and soft-bodied insects. (Only limited information is available on its food habits.)
REFERENCES: Phillips et al. 1964.