From March 1999 to August 2000, we conducted monthly mist netting in the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve, Jalisco, Mexico to document the phenology and habitat use of the Red-breasted Chat (Granatellus venustus). We collected information on its nesting biology during the breeding season of 2001. Chats (n = 116) were caught throughout the 18 months of the study; however, far fewer captures occurred during the dry season than during the wet season. Our capture data revealed that chats made greater use of deciduous (n = 88) than semi-deciduous forest (n = 28); there were no interactions among forest type, season, and gender. Birds in breeding condition were captured June–September and molting birds were captured August– October. We found 10 cup-shaped nests in June and July. Nests were 48–103 cm above ground in saplings ≤2 m high. Clutch size was 3–4 and only the female incubated. The incubation period was 14 days, and we estimated the nestling period to be approximately 8–10 days. Of eight nests found with eggs or young, three were depredated during the egg stage, three during the nestling stage, and two were successful.