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Cover photo credit: Brian E. Small
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Description
- Medium sized song bird around 15cm long
- Yellow bellies with dark streaks along their sides
- Majority of the bird is a blue grey and they have a white crecent above and below the eye
- Females and juveniles are less bold in colour and will have brownish highlights
Habitat
- Very specific habitat requirements
- Well-drained sandy soils in large young jack pine forests. Young trees are necessary to provide the low branches needed for proper coverage
- They nest on the ground under low hanging branches around other smaller plant coverage, such as various grasses, ferns and blueberries
Threats
- Fire suppression has lead to a decline in suitable jack pine forests needed for nesting requirements
- Human development reducing forest availability
- These birds also experience nest parasitism from brown headed cowbirds