This species generally occurs in open country with dense herbaceous vegetation. It can be found in grassy, weedy and brushy fields in the northern part of its range and in marshes and a variety of wooded habitats in the southern part of its range (Wilson and Ruff 1999). It can sometimes be found in scrubby live oak, pine-oak, dense humid tropical forest, and cloud forest, and near water in Mexico. It has also been found in grain fields and pastures (Álvarez and Sánchez-Casas1997), and often in rocky areas, as well as on sandy river backs and in arid coastal plains in Mexico.

They primarily feed on insects and other invertebrates (e.g., earthworms, spiders), and some vegetable matter.

This species is found from the eastern United States and southeastern Ontario, Canada to eastern New Mexico and northeastern, central and southern Mexico (Nowak, 1999). In Mexico, its elevational range is from 0-2,750 m asl (Carraway 2007).

It occurs in several protected areas in North America.