Feeding Behavior

Captures insects mostly while walking and running on ground. Also watches from low perch and flies down to capture items on ground below. Perches in shrubs and trees to eat berries.

Eggs

3-4, sometimes 2-6. Variably greenish to bluish gray, with blotches of brown usually concentrated at larger end. Incubation is by female, 12-13 days. Young: Both parents feed the nestlings. Young leave the nest about 12 days after hatching, not able to fly well for about another week. 2-3 broods per year.

Young

Both parents feed the nestlings. Young leave the nest about 12 days after hatching, not able to fly well for about another week. 2-3 broods per year.

Diet

Mostly insects and berries. Annual diet is about half insects and other arthropods, half berries and fruits. Feeds heavily on insects in late spring and summer, especially beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, wasps, also many others. Also eats spiders, snails, sowbugs, earthworms, and rarely crayfish and small lizards. Fall and winter diet leans heavily to berries and wild fruits, sometimes a few cultivated fruits.

Nesting

Nesting begins early, by late winter in southern areas. Male sings to defend territory and attract a mate, often leaping a few feet in the air and flapping his wings while singing. Early stage of courtship involves male and female chasing each other rapidly around territory. Nest: Placed in a dense shrub or tree, usually 3-10' above the ground, sometimes lower or higher (rarely up to 60'). Nest has bulky foundation of twigs supporting open cup of weeds, grass, leaves, lined with fine material such as rootlets, moss, animal hair, plant down. Male builds most of foundation, female adds most of lining.