The Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) is a small songbird found throughout much of North America. It is a member of the cardinal family and gets its name from its dark gray or black hood and dark eyes. The Dark-eyed Junco is a common and widespread bird, with several distinct populations that live in different regions of North America. Here we explore the various habitats occupied by the different subspecies of the Dark-eyed Junco throughout its range.
Eastern United States
The nominate subspecies, the Slate-colored Junco (Junco hyemalis hyemalis), is found throughout the eastern United States. Its breeding range spans southeastern Canada and extends throughout the Appalachian Mountains, the Great Lakes region, and New England. The Slate-colored Junco inhabits open coniferous and mixed forests, especially those with openings and edges. It prefers areas with dense undergrowth. In northern parts of its range it is associated with boreal forests dominated by spruce, fir, and pine. Farther south it occurs in higher elevation spruce-fir forests as well as lower elevation forests of various pine species. It is a year-round resident throughout much of its range but migrates south for the winter. Wintering habitat includes weedy fields, pastures, open woodlands, and backyards.
In the southern Appalachians, the Carolina Junco (Junco hyemalis carolinensis) is found at high elevations in fir and spruce forests. It nests above 3500 feet in these boreal-like habitats. In winter it may descend to lower elevations including pine-oak woodlands, rhododendron thickets, and yards and gardens.
Breeding Range Map
Here is a map showing the breeding range of the Slate-colored Junco in the eastern United States:
Western United States
Several subspecies of the Dark-eyed Junco occupy different parts of western North America. These include:
- Oregon Junco (Junco hyemalis oreganus) – Pacific Northwest
- Pink-sided Junco (Junco hyemalis mearnsi) – Rocky Mountains
- Gray-headed Junco (Junco hyemalis caniceps) – southwest mountains
- Red-backed Junco (Junco hyemalis dorsalis) – central northwest
- Cassiar Junco (Junco hyemalis cismontanus) – northern Rockies
These junco subspecies occupy coniferous forests across various elevations and mountain ranges. The Oregon Junco is found in the mature conifer forests along the Pacific coast and in the Cascades. The Pink-sided Junco nests in spruce-fir forests in mountain ranges including the northern Rockies. The Gray-headed Junco occurs in high elevation pine-oak and mixed conifer woodlands in mountains ranges of the southwest. The Red-backed and Cassiar Juncos inhabit boreal spruce-fir forests in the northern Rockies and Pacific northwest.
In winter, western juncos move downslope and occupy more open habitats at lower elevations. These include woodlands, thickets, fields, and backyards.
Wintering Range Map
Here is a map showing the wintering range of the Oregon Junco in the western United States:
Southern United States and Mexico
The Dark-eyed Junco is a winter resident across much of the southern United States and Mexico. Some of the subspecies that occupy the region during winter include the Slate-colored Junco, Oregon Junco, Pink-sided Junco, and Gray-headed Junco. These birds migrate from more northern breeding areas to spend the winter farther south. In the southern states, Dark-eyed Juncos frequent open woodlands, scrublands, fields, and suburban backyards where they forage for seeds on the ground.
Wintering Range Map
Here is a map showing the winter range of the Dark-eyed Junco across the southern United States and Mexico:
Year-Round Range
The Dark-eyed Junco occupies a large range across North America throughout the year. Here is a map showing the entire range of the Dark-eyed Junco including all subspecies:
As this map illustrates, the Dark-eyed Junco can be found year-round across most of the United States and southern Canada. The northernmost areas of its range are occupied only during summer, while southern areas host juncos only in winter. The core year-round range spans the northern U.S. from coast to coast.
Habitats
To summarize, the Dark-eyed Junco occupies a variety of forest and woodland habitats across its range:
- Mature coniferous forests (spruce, fir, pine) – breeding habitat in northern range
- Mixed deciduous-coniferous forests – breeding habitat in eastern range
- Mountain pine-oak and mixed conifer woodlands – breeding habitat in southwest
- Open woodlands (aspen, birch) – breeding and wintering
- scrublands and thickets – wintering habitat
- Fields and suburban backyards – wintering habitat
Generally, juncoes prefer areas with dense understory vegetation. They are flexible in using both coniferous and deciduous forest habitats. While they nest in mature high-elevation forests, during winter they adapt to a variety of open, low-elevation habitats rich in seeds. The juncoes’ nesting and wintering ranges overlap across much of the northern and western United States, where they can be found year-round.
Conclusion
In summary, the Dark-eyed Junco is a widespread songbird with populations occupying diverse regions of North America. Different subspecies breed in specific habitats across northern and western mountain ranges. After nesting, juncoes migrate south and spread out across the southern two-thirds of North America for winter. Their winter range spans open woodlands, shrublands, fields, and backyards from coast to coast. Across the northern U.S. they can be found year-round. The Dark-eyed Junco’s range highlights its ability to thrive across an array of temperate forest and woodland ecosystems throughout North America.