February High Desert Bird of the Month: Oregon Junco Oregon
Juncos, members of the sparrow family, are one of six
recognizable populations of Dark-Eyed Junco, and normally occur
only west of the Rockies. The dark gray to black hood, along
with an almost pink bill, makes them pretty easy to identify. In
flight they show flashy white outer tail feathers. They are such
a beautiful little bird and I look forward to their return each
winter. Juncos nest and spend the breeding season in forested
areas as far north as Canada and Alaska and spend winters all
across the United States. They are often called “Snowbirds,”
possibly because their return from northern breeding grounds
foretells the return of cold and snowy weather. They tend to
return to the same area each winter, so you may have some of the
same birds at your feeder as you had in previous years. Juncos
are flocking birds with a distinct social hierarchy — adult
males at the top, then juvenile males, adult females and young
females at the bottom. Juncos are