September 15, 2011
Credit: nebirdsplus

North American field guide

Yellow-eyed Junco

Junco phaeonotus

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Identification

Field notes

16 cm (6") Locally common in high mountains of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Coniferous and pine-oak forests above 1600 meters (5,000 ft.)

Gray head and rump. Bright rusty-red back. Bright yellow eyes. Pale gray throat, breast, and sides. White belly. Told from similar Gray-headed form of the Dark-eyed Juncos by its light eye.

Song: variable series of whistles and trills.

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos
Bird 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.

Yellow-eyed Junco

1 rule
Rule 1 18 criteria confidence 2
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 ?
Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · 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) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · 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 ?
White or light gray · Yellow or olive · Unknown
Was the HEAD striped ?
No · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
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
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States
result:162-yellow-eyed-junco:1:1 Source: 162 Yellow-eyed Junco, row 1