Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Prepared by Paul Nicholson, November 2024

The Dark-eyed Junco is a handsome bird in the sparrow family. Photos by Paul Nicholson

The Dark-eyed Juncos seen across London and Middlesex County every winter are migratory birds that arrive in the fall and fly back north in mid-spring.

Dark-eyed Juncos belong to the sparrow family, Passerellidae. The Latin name, Junco hyemalis, roughly translates to “winter bird of the reeds.” Juncos are often affectionately called “snowbirds” for their association with winter landscapes.

Adult males and females look the same. They are approximately 15 cm in length. Look for birds with a slate-grey back and head, white underparts, and distinctive white tail feathers that are visible in flight. Theses birds have a conical, pink beak that helps them crack open seeds.

Interestingly, several subspecies of the Dark-eyed Junco exist across North America. The most striking is the Oregon Junco, which sports a brownish back and flanks, contrasting with a grey or black head.

A juvenile Dark-eyed Junco already has distinctive white flashes on the sides of its tail. Although they initially have streaked plumage on the chest and flanks, the streaking fades as the young birds mature.

Juncos exploit a broad range of habitats including fields, roadsides, forests, residential areas, and scrubland.

Juncos breed in the northern boreal forests right across Canada. Well-hidden nests are often on the ground.

Through the summer breeding season, Juncos will include insects in their diet, but these birds are primarily seed eaters. The Juncos that we see in Southwestern Ontario in the winter will eat seeds. They often feed on the ground.

The song of the Junco is a lovely high-pitched trill that can sometimes be mistaken for a Chipping Sparrow or a Pine Warbler. The Junco’s call notes are several quick tick-tick-tick-tick notes.

Listen to the Dark-eyed Junco’s trill below:

Finding the species in London:

In London and elsewhere in Middlesex County, Dark-eyed Juncos are usually easy to find in the winter months. One location that is often reliable is at the Fanshawe Conservation Area in north-east London. Check out the Tamarack Trail trailhead immediately south of the parking lot near the dam.

Click here to learn more about the Dark-eyed Junco’s life history.

Help make London more Junco friendly:

Although Dark-eyed Junco populations are stable, there are several ways to help keep them safe and welcome in our communities.

Keep pet cats indoors or contained while outside to prevent them from predating birds.
Avoid use of pesticides and reduce your ecological footprint as much as possible.
Retrofit your home windows using bird-friendly materials to prevent window collisions.
Support the protection of natural habitats that Dark-eyed Juncos need for food, shelter and breeding.
Grow native plants in your yard and leave plants alone during the winter until the risk of frost has passed in the spring (late April-early May in London)
If you use bird feeders, keep them clean.
Participate in citizen science initiatives such as recording Junco sightings and other bird sightings in eBird and iNaturalist