{"id":16760,"date":"2014-11-06T04:41:40","date_gmt":"2014-11-06T11:41:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=16760"},"modified":"2026-02-02T07:32:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T13:32:28","slug":"snow-birds-dark-eyed-juncos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/11\/06\/snow-birds-dark-eyed-juncos\/","title":{"rendered":"Snow Birds – Dark-eyed Juncos"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MalePale male Dark-eyed Junco, Oregon race – Nikon D810, f10, 1\/640, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

When I lived in Virginia I could almost predict when the first snow would fall because the juncos showed at my feeders up a day or two before the first winter storm. My mom and I always call them snow birds because of that.<\/p>\n

Back east the only juncos I saw were the “Slate-colored” race and I adored hearing them<\/span><\/a> as a flock of them would descend to eat the food the other birds knocked to the ground.<\/p>\n

Here in Utah I don’t depend on the juncos to clue me in on the first winter snow because I see them most of the year though in the warmer months I only see them in the high country. They still gather on the ground below the bird feeders but the race I see here most often is from the Oregon group and their calls<\/a><\/span> are slightly different.<\/p>\n

This male Dark-eyed Junco was photographed at Farmington Bay’s Goose Egg Island which isn’t an island at all but was one during back in the mid 80’s due to the flooding of the Great Salt Lake.<\/p>\n

The rocks and soil of Goose Egg Island were actually hauled to Farmington Bay after a mudslide in a nearby canyon and when the flooding reached Farmington Bay geese used the island to nest on. When the flood waters receded the island became a hill that now has a few trees on the north side of it where raptors like to perch and the smaller birds feed on the seeds of the vegetation that grows there.<\/p>\n

I wanted to share this western junco with my Mom because she hasn’t seen them.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to view more of my Dark-eyed Junco photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When I lived in Virginia I could almost predict when the first snow would fall because the juncos showed at my feeders up a day or two before the first winter storm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":136136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,2749,1022,697,26],"tags":[4004,970,2750,4620,6036,2751,6037,4062,4094,2754,4104,4289,2753,2727,4195],"class_list":["post-16760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-dark-eyed-juncos","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-autumn","tag-dark-eyed-junco","tag-fall","tag-junco","tag-junco-hyemalis","tag-juncos","tag-male","tag-marsh","tag-oregon-group","tag-perched","tag-rabbitbrush","tag-snow-bird","tag-song-bird","tag-sparrows"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-mia-mcpherson-6530.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-4mk","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":79577,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/02\/20\/low-light-dark-eyed-junco-in-snow\/","url_meta":{"origin":16760,"position":0},"title":"Low Light Dark-eyed Junco In Snow","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 20, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Earlier this week I photographed a male Dark-eyed Junco in snow close to home in poor, low light conditions. I am happy with how the photo turned out.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Low light Dark-eyed Junco in snow, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-adult-male-winter-snow-mia-mcpherson-3307.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-adult-male-winter-snow-mia-mcpherson-3307.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-adult-male-winter-snow-mia-mcpherson-3307.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-adult-male-winter-snow-mia-mcpherson-3307.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48989,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/10\/16\/dark-eyed-junco-mullein-blooming-rabbitbrush\/","url_meta":{"origin":16760,"position":1},"title":"Dark-eyed Junco, Mullein & Blooming Rabbitbrush","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 16, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday while looking for birds to photograph a single Dark-eyed Junco popped up into my view and perched on a dried mullein stalk in front of blooming rabbitbrush.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dark-eyed Junco perched on Mullein in front of blooming Rabbitbrush, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-rabbitbrush-mullein-mia-mcpherson-6368.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-rabbitbrush-mullein-mia-mcpherson-6368.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-rabbitbrush-mullein-mia-mcpherson-6368.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-rabbitbrush-mullein-mia-mcpherson-6368.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61075,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/10\/29\/male-dark-eyed-junco-close-up-at-farmington-bay-wma\/","url_meta":{"origin":16760,"position":2},"title":"Male Dark-eyed Junco Close Up At Farmington Bay WMA","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 29, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"As common as Dark-eyed Juncos are I have surprisingly few photos of them in my galleries and that is why I get excited when I can add a new photo of them to my portfolio.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Dark-eyed Junco close up, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/dark-eyed-junco-close-up-fence-post-mia-mcpherson-4990.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/dark-eyed-junco-close-up-fence-post-mia-mcpherson-4990.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/dark-eyed-junco-close-up-fence-post-mia-mcpherson-4990.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/dark-eyed-junco-close-up-fence-post-mia-mcpherson-4990.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54309,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/09\/26\/female-or-immature-dark-eyed-junco-oreganus-group\/","url_meta":{"origin":16760,"position":3},"title":"Female or Immature Dark-eyed Junco – Oreganus Group","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 26, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Three days ago I was able to photograph a female or immature Dark-eyed Junco of the Oreganus Group when it flew in and landed not too far away from me and I have to admit that seeing it excited me because I enjoy these birds so much.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female\/Immature Dark-eyed Junco - Oreganus Group, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-mia-mcpherson-5473.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-mia-mcpherson-5473.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-mia-mcpherson-5473.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-mia-mcpherson-5473.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":74581,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/10\/11\/dark-eyed-juncos-and-seasonal-changes\/","url_meta":{"origin":16760,"position":4},"title":"Dark-eyed Juncos And Seasonal Changes","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 11, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the seasonal changes I look for in autumn is when I see that the Dark-eyed Juncos have arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Dark-eyed Junco foraging on the ground, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-foraging-ground-mia-mcpherson-4898.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-foraging-ground-mia-mcpherson-4898.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-foraging-ground-mia-mcpherson-4898.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-foraging-ground-mia-mcpherson-4898.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51055,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/02\/24\/portrait-of-a-dark-eyed-junco-in-a-snow-storm\/","url_meta":{"origin":16760,"position":5},"title":"Portrait of a Dark-eyed Junco in a Snow Storm","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"As the snow from the storm fell I noticed some of the Dark-eyed Juncos feeding on the ground and I was able to photograph this junco's portrait as it hid behind a mound of snow.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dark-eyed Junco portrait in a snow storm, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-snow-storm-mia-mcpherson-3644.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-snow-storm-mia-mcpherson-3644.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-snow-storm-mia-mcpherson-3644.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-snow-storm-mia-mcpherson-3644.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16760","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16760"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16760\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/136136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}