Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

I first heard then saw this junco while out walking the dog in Bothell, Washington on the morning of May 31st, 2011. I saw 2 Oregon race juncos and 1 with different coloration that I incorrectly assumed to be female. It turns out that the one that I thought was a female was really a young junco not yet in adult plumage, and the parents were really noisy because they were protecting their offspring. With a clutch size of 3-6 eggs, and only one apparent survivor, I can't blame them. This group of juncos were new to the neighborhood- having only arrived the night before. I haven't checked to see if they are still around. I am going to head out in a little bit and check on them, and will update as necessary. You can read more about the different races of juncos here.