Dark-eyed Junco

Once a year, my backyard is visited by Dark-eyed Juncos. I’m always happy to see them, even if it’s a short visit. They are fun to watch, they are very cautious and never challenge other birds, even if the junco is hungry, it waits for the best opportunity to approach a feeder.

If you’re not familiar with this species, please take a read at the following information that I found at © Wikipedia.

The Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) is the best-known species of the juncos, a genus of small grayish American sparrows. This bird is common across much of temperate North America and in summer ranges far into the Arctic. It is a very variable species, much like the related fox sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

Adults generally have gray heads, necks, and breasts, gray or brown backs and wings, and a white belly, but show a confusing amount of variation in plumage details. The white outer tail feathers flash distinctively in flight and while hopping on the ground. The bill is usually pale pinkish.

13 thoughts on “Dark-eyed Junco”

susanpoozan on March 23, 2016 at 6:50 am said:

Thanks for the gallery of such a cute bird.

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- avian101 on March 23, 2016 at 5:52 pm said:
  
  Thank you my dear friend! 🙂
  
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Lisa Rest on March 23, 2016 at 4:30 pm said:

Dark-Eyed Juncos are beautiful and you have captured them so well. We tend to think of them as our harbingers of winter, however I have seen quite a few more with early spring and love to hear their twittering songs. Occasionally somebody sees an Oregon Dark-Eyed Junco somewhere…not me.

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- avian101 on March 23, 2016 at 5:55 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much Lisa. That happens to be the same here, I never see them during winter! 🙂
  
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tootlepedal on March 23, 2016 at 6:21 pm said:

A good gallery.

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- avian101 on March 23, 2016 at 7:38 pm said:
  
  Thanks Tom! 🙂
  
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bayphotosbydonna on March 24, 2016 at 10:15 am said:

Love these fellas, they visit my balcony rail year-round. Just had one a few days ago, catching a few sunshine rays! Great photos HJ! 🙂

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- avian101 on March 24, 2016 at 10:32 am said:
  
  Thank you very much Donna! 🙂
  
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clarepooley33 on March 24, 2016 at 11:07 pm said:

Great photos HJ!

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- avian101 on March 24, 2016 at 11:20 pm said:
  
  Thank you Clare! 🙂
  
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  - clarepooley33 on March 25, 2016 at 7:29 pm said:
    
    My pleasure HJ!
Sharifah on March 31, 2016 at 12:09 pm said:

Lovely photos, HJ. Thanks for the observation that they never challenge other birds. I notice that too. They seem to be good-natured birds. 🙂

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- avian101 on March 31, 2016 at 1:31 pm said:
  
  Thank you for the feedback Sharifah! 🙂
  
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