Brownish-gray head and upperparts. Buffy-white underparts with black spotting and streaks. Yellow eye. Short, dark, down-curved bill. Long tail with white patches in on the corners. Faint white wing bars. Sexes similar. Juveniles are somewhat browner. 8.5 inches in length.

Dry sagebrush plains, dense thickets and lowland scrub.

Nesting

4-5 blue-green eggs with brown blotches. The eggs have a 13-17 day incubation period. Fledging occurs in 11-14 days. The nest is made from sticks and lined with grass, rootlets, fur, leaves, and feathers. It is usually built in a thorny bush or shrub.