They showed up a couple weeks ago. Four little snowbirds. I had not seen them since last March, but they finally came home where they belong.
Snowbirds, really Dark-eyed Juncos, spend their summers in forests as far up as Canada and across the Appalachians, but in winter, they like to be closer to civilization and take up residence in fields and parks and especially backyards with feeders. They are members of the American Sparrow family and, like all sparrows, they would rather feed from the ground, so I try to keep an assortment of seeds below my feeders. But if I forget, they’ll fly up and perch on the feeder and peck away at the sunflower chips.
I only have 4 juncos now, I usually have more, but maybe another small group will show before cold weather sets in. They prefer to hang out in small flocks and when one flies away, they all do.
The little snowbirds, about the size of a common house sparrow, are pretty birds, dark grey with a pink bill and soft white breasts and outer tails.
They feed on whatever they can find, insects in the summer and seeds and small fruits in winter. They have two broods per year, but it’s doubtful we’ll ever see any snowbird nesting in our neck of the woods
Snowbirds are quite friendly and always cheerful. Welcome back, my little friends.