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Dark-eyed Junco

Junco hyemalis

Called "snowbirds" in much of the East, because they show up at feeders as winter begins.

In your real yard: Millet or cracked corn on the ground, close to shrubs for cover.

Spot it in the game

Lives in the Backyard habitat (Eastern North America).

Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis
Photo: Mark Apgar, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist. Cut out from the original photo.

Dark-eyed Junco facts

Family
New World sparrows
Length
5.9 in (15 cm)
Wingspan
9.1 in (23 cm)
Weight
0.7 oz (20 g)
Diet
Seeds of weeds and grasses; insects in summer.
Range
Breeds in Canada, Alaska and western and Appalachian mountains; winters across most of the United States.
Nest
A cup on or near the ground, tucked under a root, rock or bank.
Song
A musical trill on one pitch; calls are sharp "tick" and "tsip" notes.
Active
by day
Status
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List: widespread and not at risk.

What the Dark-eyed Junco sounds like

Recording 1: Doug Hynes, CC BY-SA 4.0, original on xeno-canto. Trimmed and cleaned of low background noise.
Recording 2: Jonathon Jongsma, CC BY-SA 4.0, original on xeno-canto. Trimmed and cleaned of low background noise.

How to attract the Dark-eyed Junco

Feeder foods, favorite first: millet, sunflower seed. Feeders that hold them: tube feeder and platform feeder. Keep a bird bath full, too.

In the game: fill a feeder with millet and sunflower seed and keep the bird bath full. It is a common visitor.

More: bird songs and calls, what to feed birds.

More birds of the backyard

Northern CardinalNorthern CardinalBackyardBlue JayBlue JayBackyardAmerican GoldfinchAmerican GoldfinchBackyardAmerican RobinAmerican RobinBackyardBlack-capped ChickadeeBlack-capped ChickadeeBackyardTufted TitmouseTufted TitmouseBackyard

Spot the Dark-eyed Junco yourself

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