John Hamil Photographs

Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)

Dark-eyed Juncos have always been one of our winter birds. In fall they descend in flocks on our yard feeding under the bushes. They are more easily recognizable in flight than when they are feeding on the ground because when they fly they display bright white feathers on either side of their tails. We mostly see the Oregon variant though their plumage varies so much from one individual to the next there could easily be one of the more rare races blending in to the array. 2015 was a banner year when there were numbers of clutches and their young could be seen scooting around the yard through the summer months when they would usually be scarce.

Juvenile Dark-eyed Junco Gallery: A series of photos of these Juncos as they matured.

junco