Dark-eyed Junco

(Junco hyemalis)

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

NatureServe

N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding

SNRB, SNRN - Unranked Breeding and Nonbreeding

Minnesota

not listed

 
Dark-eyed Junco
 
 
Description

 

 

Size

5½ to 7in length

9½ wingspan

 

Voice

 

Similar Species

 
Habitat

Coniferous and mixed forests, Jack Pine stands, shrubby woodland clearings

Ecology

Migration

 

 

Nesting

 

 

Food

 

Distribution

Occurrence

Common to abundant migrant; uncommon to locally common breeder

 

Maps

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

Taxonomy
Class Aves (birds)

Order

Passeriformes (perching birds)

Family

Passerellidae (New World sparrows)

Genus

Junco (juncos)
   

New World sparrows were traditionally combined with buntings into the family Emberizidae. Recent phylogenetic analysis (Barker et al. 2013) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis (Klicka et al. 2014) found that the Old World buntings should be separated as a sister to New World sparrows. New World sparrows have been separated into a new family, Passerellidae.

   

Subordinate Taxa

There are 12 subspecies of Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) and they are divided into five subspecies groups with identifiable differences.

   

Slate-colored juncos

Slate-colored Junco (Junco hyemalis hyemalis)

Carolina Junco (Junco hyemalis carolinensis)

Cassiar Junco (Junco hyemalis cismontanus)

White-winged junco

White-winged Junco (Junco hyemalis aikeni)

Oregon juncos

Montana Junco (Junco hyemalis montanus)

Oregon Junco (Junco hyemalis oreganus)

Point Pinos Junco (Junco hyemalis pinosus)

Hanson Laguna Junco (Junco hyemalis pontilis)

Shufeldt’s Junco (Junco hyemalis shufeldti)

Thurber’s Junco (Junco hyemalis thurberi)

Townsend’s Junco (Junco hyemalis townsendi)

Pink-sided junco

Pink-sided Junco (Junco hyemalis mearnsi)

Gray-headed junco

Gray-headed Junco (Junco hyemalis caniceps)

Red-backed junco

Red-backed Junco (Junco hyemalis dorsalis)

Guadalupe junco

Guadalupe Junco (Junco hyemalis insularis)

   

Synonyms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visitor Photos
 

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Betsy O’Rourke

I honestly that that they may have been baby Cardinals for some reason I thought their beak looked very similar... But now upon looking what their habitat is my backyard is literally exactly what they look for.

 

Dark-eyed Junco

     
Dark-eyed Junco  

 

Bobbi Johnson

Saw these two in my crab apple this morning.

Evening Grosbeak    

Ramona Abrego

Oregon Junco

Rare visitor came in with the Dark eyed Juncos

  Dark-eyed Junco

Bill Reynolds

A Dark-eyed Junco with leucism condition. This is first time I've seen such a bird and to find it in my viewfinder.

  Dark-eyed Junco

Laurie Wachholz

Dark-eyed Junco    

Tom Baker

Dark-eyed Junco   Dark-eyed Junco
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
Dark-eyed Junco   Dark-eyed Junco

 

Camera

 

Slideshows

Dark-eyed Junco
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Dark-eyed Junco

Slate-colored Junco
JMC Nature Photos

Slate-colored Junco

Dark-eyed Junco
jt893x

Dark-eyed Junco

Dark-eyed Junco
Craig A. Mullenbach

Dark-eyed Junco

 

slideshow

Visitor Videos
 

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Other Videos

Dark Eyed Junco - Species of the Day Episode 4
Rachel Kappler

About

Published on Mar 2, 2012

Learn about the Dark eyed Junco!

Like my necklace? You can buy it at: www.etsy.com/shop/rachelkappler

Information gathered from this video from:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/dark-eyed_junco/id/ac
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/dark-eyed-junco/
http://springfieldmo.wbu.com/

Special thanks to Dennis Mortemore for help in filming and editing!

OCVN is Ohio certified volunteer naturalists, check them out at: http://ocvn.osu.edu/

Dark-eyed Junco (Emberizidae: Junco hyemalis) Foraging in Rain
Carl Barrentine

About

Uploaded on Apr 10, 2011

One of thousands and thousands of juncos that are migrating through our region this week en route to high-latitude boreal Breeding grounds in central and northern Manitoba. Photographed at Fisher, Minnesota (10 April 2010).

Dark-eyed Junco, "Snow Bird" - March 22, 2013
Don Gagnon

About

Published on Mar 22, 2013

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), a.k.a. Snowbird, Wildlife Garden, Gagnon Wildlife Habitat, Pottersville, Somerset, Massachusetts, Friday morning, March 22, 2013, 7:29 AM - Canon PowerShot SX260 HS MVI_28544; 2:53 min.

Music: "Snow Bird" by Ryland Bouchard (Other, 2:38)

Birds USA... Dark-eyed Junco
groenelantaarn

About

Published on Feb 2, 2014

Junco hyemalis

Mt Pleasant, Michigan, USA 03-01-2014

Science Today: The Dark-Eyed Junco
California Academy of Sciences

About

Published on Nov 8, 2013

Want to witness evolution in action? Learn more about these abundant North American birds. An excerpt from Ordinary Extraordinary Junco.

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings
 

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Betsy O’Rourke
3/1/2024

Location: Carver County, MN

I honestly that that they may have been baby Cardinals for some reason I thought their beak looked very similar... But now upon looking what their habitat is my backyard is literally exactly what they look for.

Dark-eyed Junco
Bobbi Johnson
4/22/2023

Location: Location: Silver Bay, MN

Saw these two in my crab apple this morning.

Evening Grosbeak
Ramona Abrego

Location: Washington County

Oregon Junco. Rare visitor came in with the Dark eyed Juncos.

Dark-eyed Junco
Bill Reynolds
5/8/2017

Location: Pennington County

A Dark-eyed Junco with leucism condition. This is first time I've seen such a bird and to find it in my viewfinder.

Dark-eyed Junco
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

 

 

Binoculars

 

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