the female chooses where to make the nest. she will usually make the nest on one or many branches that are hidden in leaves. in the west, the female will make the nest on the ground or in thickets. in alaska, the female will make the nest on a cliff. the female makes the nest. she starts with the inside. she uses grass and sticks to make a cup-shaped center. other things that the female will use are paper, feathers, rootlets, and moss. after the center is done, she uses mud on the outside of the nest to make it stronger. she then puts soft grass in the cup. the nest is usually 15.2 to 20.3 cm (6 to 8 in) long. it is 7.6 to 15.2 cm high (3 to 6 in).