Dark-eyed junco

Dark-eyed junco perched on a branch against a blur of autumn-coloured leaves

Juncos are the birds of the in-between seasons. In fall and spring they arrive in small flocks, hopping along the ground below feeders and at the edges of gardens, and when they fly, the white outer tail feathers flash like a signal. They are small, neat sparrows with a grey hood and a pale belly.

Dark-eyed juncos are sometimes called snowbirds, since many nest in the northern forests and head south just as the snow arrives, passing through southern Manitoba. A few stay all winter where food is available. They nest on the ground, often tucked in beside a log or a rock, and they eat seeds in winter and insects in summer.

Want to learn more about the dark-eyed junco and where it lives? Visit its page at All About Birds.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Field notes in photographs

  • Dark-eyed junco perched on a branch against a blur of autumn-coloured leaves
  • Dark-eyed junco perched on a spruce branch against a pale background
  • Dark-eyed junco standing on a rock against a green background
  • Dark-eyed junco perched on a twisted pine branch with blue sky behind
  • Dark-eyed junco perched on a snowy crabapple branch with a snowflake on its bill, Manitoba
  • Dark-eyed junco perched in a cedar
  • Dark-eyed junco standing on rocks with leaves and snow

Dark-eyed junco Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the dark-eyed junco in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the dark-eyed junco nests and migrates, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the dark-eyed junco in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Taiga Shield, the Hudson Plains, and the Boreal Plains (gold) and passing through the Prairies in spring and fall (lilac). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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