Dark Eyed Junco Birds At Feeder

This month I thought I would change it up a little and give you something to look forward to each Friday. For the remainder of February, I will be posting a new bird that is at the feeder. This week’s Friday in February Dark Eyed Junco birds at the feeder.

What The Dark-Eyed Junco Looks Like:

Adults 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. The bill usually varies from a pale pink to yellow.

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Male Vs Female

Females are a slightly lighter shade of gray.

Migration:

In our area of Wisconsin.  The dark-eyed juncos seem to arrive around the third week of September. They will stay for the duration of the winter.

My grandmother lived in the country and I always knew when the Dark-Eyed Juncos returned for the Wisconsin winter; and again, when they left.

Grandma always said these winter birds came in flocks, stopping off around the farm fields surrounding her property, and then cleaned out her feeder in minutes, and they normally don’t eat direct from the feeders.  She thought they were passing through on their travels to the Sugar Creek area.

After a few winters watching the locations Junco’s like to hang out, I am sure she was right. Sugar Creek is heavily wooded.

What Dark-Eyed Juncos Eat:

They mainly eat insects and seeds.  Although Junco’s do enjoy sticking within wooded areas, they are also perfectly happy sticking around a feeder for the winter. They generally enjoy feeding on the seed that other birds drop on the ground. Occasionally, they will treat themselves to suet as well.

Food of Choice
• Black oil sunflower seed
• White millet bird seed
• Can be found snacking on seedhead of plants that remain for winter

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That is exactly what the group of Juncos I watching is doing. Going from the trees to the ground under the feeder. A few even enjoying suet with titmice.

Breeding:
Their breeding habitat is conifers or mixed forest areas throughout North America. Mainly in Canada and Alaska. Breeding takes place mid-March through April.

Nesting:
Nests are a cup-shaped depression on the ground that is lined with fine grasses and hair. Well hidden by vegetation or other material. Occasionally, nests are found in the lower branches of a shrub or tree.

How Many Eggs:
Juncos have the ability to lay two times during a breeding season.  Laying four eggs each time. The ability to lay twice during the breeding season is nature’s way to protect the species for these ground nesters.

What Do The Eggs Look Like:
Eggs are a pale blue or gray and splotched with brown, purple or gray coloring.

How Long For Eggs To Hatch:
The eggs are incubated by the female for 12 to 13 days.

When Do The Young Leave The Nest:
The young leave nest fairly quick after hatching. Between 11 and 14 days after hatching.

I love watching dark-eyed Juncos hopping around under the feeders and although you generally do not find dark eyed junco birds at the feeder – under the feeder is fine by me.

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