Dark Eyed Junco

Shifting gears here away from the rare and unusual to something more plain and common. Something we ALL may have seen.... the Dark Eyed Junco.

Dark-eyed Juncos are neat, even flashy little sparrows that flit about forest floors of the western mountains and Canada, then flood the rest of North America for winter. They’re easy to recognize by their crisp charcoal grey markings, white underbellies and the bright white tail feathers they habitually flash in flight. One of the most abundant forest birds of North America. Not only just found in forests, but in fields foraging for seeds with American Tree Sparrows, parks, backyards and even under feeders. They are everywhere...

Dark-eyed Juncos are birds of the ground. They hop around the bases of trees and shrubs in forests or venture out onto lawns looking for fallen seeds. You’ll often hear their high chip notes, given almost absent-mindedly while foraging, or intensifying as they take short, low flights through cover.

This picture was taken this afternoon at the nature center in the Richard Bong State Recreational Area. Tender Heart and I had been birding there for four hours with great success. I liked this picture especially the way it was looking up at me as if to say, hello.... The picture below was taken in my backyard on 10/19/2012. That's about the time of the year that they arrive in Wisconsin. They'll stay here until about April before heading back to the Great White North.