Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
The Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) is a common new world sparrow found in 15 countries, weighing about 20 g. The dark-eyed junco is a species of junco, a group of small, grayish New World sparrows.
About the Dark-eyed Junco
The dark-eyed junco is a species of junco, a group of small, grayish New World sparrows. The species is common across much of temperate North America and in summer it ranges far into the Arctic. It is a variable species, much like the related fox sparrow, and its systematics are still not completely resolved.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Adult dark-eyed juncos 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. Males tend to have darker, more conspicuous markings than females. The dark-eyed junco is 13 to 17.5 cm (5.1 to 6.9 in) long and has a wingspan of 18 to 25 cm (7.1 to 9.8 in). Body mass can vary from 18 to 30 g (0.63 to 1.06 oz). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 6.6 to 9.
What the Dark-eyed Junco sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Sweden, Netherlands, Finland, Cuba, Cayman Islands.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Dark-eyed Junco?
- Adult dark-eyed juncos 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. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Dark-eyed Junco?
- The Dark-eyed Junco is a small sized bird weighing about 20 g.
- Where can you see a Dark-eyed Junco?
- The Dark-eyed Junco occurs in 15 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, St. Pierre & Miquelon and Belgium.
- What does a Dark-eyed Junco sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Dark-eyed Junco on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Dark-eyed Junco?
- The Dark-eyed Junco is most easily confused with the Yellow-eyed Junco, the Volcano Junco and the Guadalupe Junco.
- Is the Dark-eyed Junco endangered?
- The Dark-eyed Junco is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Dark-eyed Junco for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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