The Spotted Flycatcher is a small passerine with unremarkable plumage, generally brown with darker streaks and a gray breast. It is primarily insectivorous, but also feeds on seeds, especially in winter. It nests between March and August, building well-hidden nests among dense, low vegetation. It prefers shrublands, mountain thickets, bushy pastures, and slopes with sparse vegetation, while in winter it may descend to lower elevations, venturing closer to vegetable gardens and yards.