Dark-eyed Juncos at the Visitor Center Feeders

Perhaps the most common songbird seen in the winter months, our feeder has been overrun with Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) looking for food in these frigid temperatures.

These common winter sparrows can be found in nearly every part of the United States and Canada, all the way into Mexico depending on the season, though their plumage is highly variable from region to region. The “form” of dark-eyed junco that is most common in our area is mostly slate gray with a contrasting white belly. There is subtle sexual dimorphism, as females are more gray-brown, though this can be difficult to distinguish. All plumage variations possess the same prominent white outer tail feathers, which are flashy in flight. Their song is a rapid trill of notes that lasts up to 2 seconds.

Photo by Bill Moses, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.