This species may never be the most common passerine at a given time in the Pribilofs, but it is the most common species that is a permanent resident in the islands. It is a common and conspicuous bird that is reliably found on any given day of the year, though numbers appear to decrease in the winter as it may be a partial migrant. Nesting can occur quite early in the year and begging is often heard while snow still remains on the ground, with fledglings first appearing in late June or early July and continuously throughout much of the summer. The only noticeable fluctuations during the year occur during late summer and fall when this species forms large flocks of post-breeding adults and recently fledged young birds, while the smaller than average numbers during mid-winter have typically rebounded to normal summer levels by early spring (late April and early May). Populations of this species on Otter and Walrus Islands, the smallest of the Pribilof Islands, are not well known.
