This reclusive sparrow inhabits thick, rank grasslands with considerable residual cover from previous years' growth. Its unmusical "te slick" song is easily missed unless one is familiar with it and this the bird is often overlooked. Apparently once an inhabitant of Iowa's extensive tall-grass prairies, in the late 1980s and early 1990s it was feared that the species might be close to disappearing from Iowa. In recent years, with greater awareness of where to look and how to identify it, this species has been found on numerous grasslands, especially in southern Iowa. It is listed as Threatened in Iowa and its presence on an area adds to that site's conservation value.
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indicates a designated IBA.