North American field guide
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Also known as:Northern Junco
Identification
Field notes
16 cm (5-7") Variable species with four distinct races found across North America.
Slate-colored Race: Common in brushy clearings and borders of northern and eastern coniferous forests; in fall and winter roadsides, undergrowth, feeders.
Uniformly dark hood, back, and wings. White outer tail feathers flash out when it flies away. Similar White-winged race breeds in the Black Hills of South Dakota and has white stripes on its wings.
White-winged Race: uncommon and local; breeds in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Brushy clearings and borders of coniferous forests. In fall and winter; roadsides, undergrowth, and feeders.
Gray hood and back. White belly. Similar to more common Slate-colored race but has white wing bars and more white on outer edge of tail which flashes out when the bird flies away.
Oregon Race: Common in west and northwest in brushy clearings and borders of coniferous forests. In fall and winter; roadsides, undergrowth, and feeders.
Dark hood. Light bill. Rusty back. Buffy or rusty sides. White belly. White outer tail feathers flash out when it flies away.
Gray-headed Race: Common in southern United States. Rockies, Great Basin. Brushy clearings and borders of coniferous forests. In fall and winter; roadsides, undergrowth, and feeders.
Gray head and rump. Bill may be bicolored with a dark upper bill. Rusty back. Pale gray sides, throat and breast. White belly. White outer tail flashes out when the bird flies away.
Song: loose trill suggests Chipping Sparrow, rapid twittering in flight.
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Watch and learn
Videos
Dark-eyed Juncos (slate colored) in Maine
Credit: Wild Bird and Nature Videos by McElroy ProductionsDark-eyed Junco(slate-colored) song
Credit: Lesley the Bird NerdBird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 1 rule
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Dark-eyed Junco
1 ruleRule 1 18 criteria · confidence 5
- What SIZE was the TAIL ?
- Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
- Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
- What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
- Light outer edge or corners · Unknown
- Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?
- No · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
- Uniform color · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BILL ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
- What colour were the EYES ?
- Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
- Was the HEAD striped ?
- No · Unknown
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Sparrow-like