This deciduous forest species is found over much of eastern and southern Iowa and in some areas, is still fairly common. Its flutelike song is one of the wonders of the woods and because of the species secretive habits, it is heard much more often than it is seen. Despite being fairly common in some areas, its numbers seem to have declined elsewhere, both in Iowa and in other parts of its range. This species seems to be one that requires fairly large tracts in order to nest successfully, and hence with increasing fragmentation of those woodlands that remain, this species seems to have suffered. Woodland fragmentation seems to have put this species more at risk to cowbird parasitism and also may be a factor in its decline. The bright brown upperparts along with the bold black spots on the white underside make this species fairly easy to identify if you are fortunate enough to see one.
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indicates a designated IBA.