Snow Bird-Dark-Eyed Junco

Snow Bird-Dark-Eyed Junco

1. The dark-eyed junco is found throughout most of the United States. Juncos sometimes are referred to as snowbirds, because they often are seen at birdfeeders in the winter.  All juncos belong to the sparrow family. Five subspecies are recognized, based on the coloring of their feathers. 

2. Dark-eyed Juncos are neat, even flashy little sparrows that flit about forest floors of the western mountains and Canada, then flood the rest of North America for winter. They’re easy to recognize by their crisp (though extremely variable) markings and the bright white tail feathers they habitually flash in flight.

3. Juncos are the "snowbirds" of the middle latitudes. Over most of the eastern United States, they appear as winter sets in and then retreat northward each spring. Some juncos in the Ap-palachian Mountains remain there all year round breeding at the higher elevations. These res-idents have shorter wings than the migrants that join them each winter. Longer wings are bet-ter suited to flying long distances, a pattern commonly noted among other studies of migrato-ry vs. resident species.

4. The Dark-eyed Junco is one of the most common birds in North America and can be found across the continent, from Alaska to Mexico, from California to New York. A recent estimate set the junco’s total population at approximately 630 million individuals.

5. Dark-eyed juncos are small birds, about 4 to 6 inches tall. Their coloring depends on where they live.  Its coloring makes it look like it is wearing a hood. 

6. Its belly is white, and its tail feathers are gray with white outer feathers.

7. Males tend to be a bit bigger than females, and their plumage usually is brighter. Juncos have a short, conical bill.

8. Juncos are monogamous, which means they have only one mate. Males perch high in a tree and sing to attract females and to scare away other breeding males. A female chooses her mate based on his vocalization and territory defending skills.

9. The oldest recorded Dark-eyed Junco was 11 years 4 months old.

10. Dark-eyed Juncos are primarily seed-eaters with seeds of chickweed, buckwheat, lamb’s quarters, sorrel, and the like making up about 75 percent of their year-round diet.  During the breeding season, Dark-eyed Juncos also eat insects including beetles, moths, butterflies, caterpillars, ants, wasps, and flies.

11. They build their nests close to or on the ground, well-hidden in brush, under stumps, in tree-root cavities, or under an overhanging streamb bank. The male helps gather materials but most of the actual nest-building is done by the female.

12. Nestlings have rapid tarsal development which allows the nestlings to run from the nest if they are threatened before their wings are strong enough to fly. Also, winter flocks have a definite social hierarchy and will establish exclusive foraging territories. These flocks will return to the same areas each winter which can be as far south as northern Mexico. 

13. Males sing more than females. In fact, females rarely sing.  The male Dark-eyed  Junco's song is an even trill that many people think sounds like a telephone. 

14. Juncos can use both feet at the same time to turn over leaves and search for food.

15. Dark-eyed Juncos are one species but there are actually 6 distinct groups in North America. They are considered 1 species because they still interbreed and are genetically very closely related.

16. Study in Appalachian mountains of Virginia - adding testosterone to male dark-eyed juncos made the birds hold bigger territories and sing more frequently but also meant that the males gave less parental care and bred with multiple females.

17. The breeding birds in the Sierra belong to the Oregon Junco subspecies.

18. John Audubon described Dark-eyed Juncos meat as “extremely delicate and juicy”.