Dark-eyed juncos are able to spend winter in cold, snowy landscapes. This one found a seat at some patio furniture and is waiting for table service.
The dark-eyed juncos have arrived. While many birds migrate to warmer climates for the duration of winter, juncos are comfortable spending winter in the snow and in freezing temperatures. After spending summer in the western United States and throughout Canada, dark-eyed juncos make their way throughout the rest of the United States and into northern Mexico in autumn.
Juncos are fondly known as snowbirds in my midwestern region. The nickname refers to their winter residency, but I find the name to be fitting in another way. Days could go by with little junco activity to observe, but as soon as snow flurries begin to fall, a large flock of juncos suddenly appears. I spotted my first juncos of the season sans snow a few weeks ago, and to say that I was happy to see them would be something of an understatement.
The regional differences that exist among dark-eyed juncos are charming. In winter, my backyard is host to slate-colored juncos: those who are gray on the top and white on the bottom. The Oregon junco, found year-round in the western states, has a dark brown head with a rusty back. Some junco varieties’ plumages look particularly sparrow-like with brown- and gray-patterned features, making the fact that juncos are indeed sparrows more obvious.
Dark-eyed juncos pick up birdseed alongside a northern cardinal. Being ground foragers, juncos appreciate birdseed fallen from bird feeders.
These slate-gray birds with white underbellies pepper the ground where they prefer to forage. As they hop and fly, their long outer tail feathers flash a sharp white. A quick flight carries them to nearby shrubbery and through dense undergrowth of woodlands that provide important coverage for these tiny, plump birds. Juncos can be found on the ground beneath bird feeders alongside other bird species, such as cardinals and finches, where they chew on birdseed with their conical beaks. As they forage, they call light, succinct chirps and trills in ongoing musical conversations.
I am simply delighted to spend another winter in the company of dark-eyed juncos. Watching them hop around as they flicker their white outer tail feathers and listening to their delicate calls makes for wonderful birdwatching.