They come and they go, birds that is. The catbirds are gone, the hummers are headed for Mexico and the robins – well, who knows where the robins are. But I saw three snowbirds – Dark-eyed jucos – below the feeder this morning. I hadn’t seen them since last March.
Juncos are common over much of the country – in winter. During the warm months, they head north, even up into Canada.
Juncos are almost exclusively ground feeders. They will fly up to a feeder if they absolutely have to, but they prefer to peck around beneath the feeder, finding seeds that the cardinals and finches have scattered.
Juncos are easy to recognize by their distinct markings and the bright white tail feathers displayed in flight. Dark-eyed Juncos are among the most abundant forest birds of North America
In the sparrow family, the lovely little grey birds scratch and claw for bits of seeds or perhaps a wayward ant or cricket. When they arrive in my backyard, I begin to scatter more seed on the ground to accommodate them.
The Dark-eyed Junco is one of the most common birds in North America and can be found across the continent, from Alaska to Mexico, from California to New York. A recent estimate set the junco’s total population at approximately 630 million individuals.
The oldest recorded Dark-eyed Junco was at least 11 years, 4 months old when it was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in West Virginia in 2001. It had been banded in the same state in 1991.
I have three now, but there will be more. I usually have a small flock of 10 or 12. I expect my snowbirds have been here before, and I welcome them home.