The nominate subspecies noveboracensis arrives in its breeding grounds in late April and leaves in September or October (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The subspecies goldmani winters in both fresh-water and brackish marshes, but breeds only in fresh-water marshes and wet meadows (Taylor and van Perlo 1998). Breeding takes place in the summer, with laying occurring between May and July (del Hoyo et al. 1996). In autumn, the species is sometimes found in hay and grain fields (del Hoyo et al. 1996).

This species exists in two disjunct populations. The nominate subspecies noveboracensis is migratory, breeding locally in Alberta, Mackenzie, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, Canada, and North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Massachusetts and Connecticut, U.S.A., and wintering from coastal North Carolina south to Florida and west along the gulf coast to Texas (Taylor and van Perlo 1998). Subspecies goldmani is known from the rio Lerma in central Mexico, but as it has not been seen since 1964 and has lost much of its habitat to draining (del Hoyo et al. 1996); it is considered likely to be extinct.