Dark-eyed Junco
(Junco hyemalis)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding SNRB, SNRN - Unranked Breeding and Nonbreeding |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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Size |
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5½″ to 7″in length 9½″ wingspan |
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Voice |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
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Coniferous and mixed forests, Jack Pine stands, shrubby woodland clearings |
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Biology |
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Migration |
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Nesting |
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Food |
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Distribution |
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Occurrence |
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Common to abundant migrant; uncommon to locally common breeder |
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Maps |
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The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map |
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Taxonomy |
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| 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. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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There are 12 subspecies of Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) and they are divided into five subspecies groups with identifiable differences. |
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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) |
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Synonyms |
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Visitor Photos |
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Share your photo of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. |
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Bobbi Johnson |
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Saw these two in my crab apple this morning. |
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Ramona Abrego |
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Oregon Junco Rare visitor came in with the Dark eyed Juncos |
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Laurie Wachholz |
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Bill Reynolds |
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A Dark-eyed Junco with leucism condition. This is first time I've seen such a bird and to find it in my viewfinder. |
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Tom Baker |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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| Dark-eyed Junco Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren |
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| Slate-colored Junco JMC Nature Photos |
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| Dark-eyed Junco jt893x |
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| Dark-eyed Junco Craig A. Mullenbach |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
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Other Videos |
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| Dark Eyed Junco - Species of the Day Episode 4 Rachel Kappler |
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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: 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/ |
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| Dark-eyed Junco (Emberizidae: Junco hyemalis) Foraging in Rain Carl Barrentine |
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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). |
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| Amateur Birdwatching: Dark-Eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) | Julia E Julia Extance |
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About
Published on Apr 15, 2013 According to my Ontario Birds book, Juncos are common winter visitors in southern Ontario, and can be seen at backyard feeders like mine! Because these two were slate and white, I think they would be males; females appear to be more brown (based on my google search). My bird book is "Compact Guide to Ontario Birds" 2005 by Lone Pine Publishing. Happy birding! ♥ Check out my 'Animals' Pinterest board! http://pinterest.com/juliabegulia/animals/ |
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| Dark-eyed Junco, "Snow Bird" - March 22, 2013 Don Gagnon |
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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) |
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| Birds USA... Dark-eyed Junco groenelantaarn |
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About
Published on Feb 2, 2014 Junco hyemalis Mt Pleasant, Michigan, USA 03-01-2014 |
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| Science Today: The Dark-Eyed Junco California Academy of Sciences |
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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. |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
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| Bobbi Johnson 4/22/2023 |
Location: Location: Silver Bay, MN Saw these two in my crab apple this morning. |
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| Ramona Abrego | Location: Washington County Oregon Junco. Rare visitor came in with the Dark eyed Juncos. |
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| 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. |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Beaver Creek Valley State Park Cannon River Turtle Preserve SNA Day Park and Earley Lake Trail Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park Minnesota Valley NWR, Long Meadow Lake Unit Minnesota Valley NWR, Louisville Swamp Unit Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area, Lawrence Unit |
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