Birds of Interior Alaska Songbirds: Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored form) Junco hyemalis The Junco's dark brown (female/juvenile) or gray (male) head and back contrast sharply with the white belly. This male Slate-colored Junco's extrordinarily dark plumage is fresh and unworn. The color will fade toward gray from weathering and wear as it makes a living in the bushes, trees and grasses of its mixed woodland breeding habitat. White outer feathers on the Junco's forked tail (pictured above and left) are easily visible in flight, less so when perched. Their song has repeated notes of a single pitch, and reminds my young birders of a telephone ringing. Males are often located while giving this call atop a a spruce or other (usually tallest) tree in mixed woodlands. Juncos are common summer visitors to our feeders. They seem to particulary enjoy black sunflower seeds when they first arrive in spring. Sunflowers seeds are rich in protein, fats and oils--important nutrition for recovering from migration and necessary for creating eggs! (Yes scholars, that was "foreshadowing"! ;^) While photographing these Juncos I noticed they stayed closer to me than I am used to seeing, all the while calling their loud "pik, pik" alarm. As I moved back into the trees the Junco quieted then, after a dozen or so steps, the alarm calls stopped. Following a wait of about ten minutes a Junco with an insect hanging from its mouth fluttered briefly over a grassy area at the edge of the trees. I hoped my quiet, patient observation would be rewarded. Back to: Top | Birds of Interior Alaska All photos and narratives contained in this document and/or in the Birds In Alaska website were created by and copyrighted to ©Jim Gilbert. 6/2001.