Dear Bird Correspondent

Dear Bird Correspondent, For months now, Theresa has spotted the same bird hopping around a particular row of bushes in our yard. At first she thought it was injured because it did not fly away when she approached - just hopped into a bush. She went so far as to put out some water for it in case it was sick or hurt. Well, the bird is not sick. It seems to be thriving. I saw it for the first time yesterday. Its body is shaped like a softball. Its back and head are reddish brown and its belly is lighter, sort of cream colored with dark stripes (can birds have stripes?). Its beak is thin, long, and pointed. It seems never to stray from its favorite bush. Pray tell, Dear Bird Correspondent, what is this bird?