Seeds are exposed and the large head serves as a perch during feeding. Sunflower seed is a preferred bird food because the seed contains many proteins and fats essential to their growth, molt, fat storage and weight maintenance processes.
Significant losses occur in fields located near cattail marshes.
He establishes a territory and awaits the arrival of the females. As females arrive, they disperse to the males' territories and breeding takes place. Each female produces a clutch of three or four eggs. Nests are built in dense vegetation, most often in cattails, where there is an abundant food supply. Their diet throughout the nesting season includes insects and weed seeds.