Species Spotlight: Dark-eyed Junco
Looks Like: This medium-sized slate-colored sparrow has a white belly, a stout pink beak, and a long tail. Juncos can be seen in large flocks hopping around the ground and low underbrush. Look for the flash of white tail feathers that fan out during flight.
Lives in: An inhabitant of mixed conifer and hardwood forests during the breeding season, juncos are often found in open fields, around human residences, and along wood edges during the winter months. Juncos migrating from Canada typically arrive in our region in October or November for the winter, and return once again to northern latitudes in the spring.
Place in the food web: Juncos forage for seeds on the ground throughout the year, but supplement with some insects during the breeding season. Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks are the junco’s most notable predators. Small mammals like squirrels and chipmunks may predate nests.
Threats: As juncos are able to live in close proximity to human development, outdoor domesticated cats pose a significant risk.
Frequency: Juncos are common in our region in winter, and among the most abundant and widespread birds of North American forests.
Reproduction: Males defend a territory of two to three acres and produce a wide range of vocalizations to attract a female. Nests made of grass and pine needles are often constructed on the ground, or within a depression on a vertical plane such as an upturned tree root, rock ledge, or a steep bank. Clutches typically consist of 3–6 pale eggs with brown speckling.
Fun facts: Juncos form large flocks that return to the same wintering territories each winter. Within the flock, a strong social hierarchy dominates. Males that return first to the winter grounds typically enjoy higher status and display their dominance by rushing at, pecking, or chasing away birds of lower rank. When two dominant birds meet, they may face off in a “head-dance” display that involves each bird raising and lowering their beaks in quick succession with necks extended. Look for evidence of this social behavior at a bird feeder this winter!
