Re: [cobirds] Question regarding Juncos

Hi all,

I'd like to add a little to what Jeff said so well about junco races, if I may.

I band juncos in my yard in Mountain Shadows in Colorado Springs, and while we get mostly Pink-sided, Oregon, and Gray-headed, we also get regularly Slate-colored (with a few Cassiar/cismontanus), and White-winged. What I would add, seeing birds in the hand, is that males of many juncos will have a white or about 1/2 white R4, and White-winged often show a white R3, and maybe some white on R2 as well!  Also,I have seen maybe three "white-winged Slate-colored Juncos" in the last 10 years, as rare as they are. They are usually much darker than the pale gray White-winged, appreciably smaller, and more lightly built. Also, last year I had two different White-winged Juncos without white 2 wingbars! There is a lot of variation out there, not even counting the intergrades.

Good birding,

Steve Brown

Colorado Springs

Sent from my iPad

On Nov 26, 2013, at 9:16 PM, "Jeff J Jones" <JJones@JonesTC.com> wrote:

Hi Robert,

 

They could certainly be of either race. Both occur here, and currently I have a few of both races at my feeders daily here in Teller County at 8,500'.

 

The white-winged is a noticeably larger junco and a very light gray. If you get good looks, they can be distinguished by having one more white tail feather (r4) on each side of the tail than the other races. Giving the distinct look of more white in the tail. Best seen on take-off or if they happen to spread their tail while feeding.

 

The Slate-colored group (I believe only the hyemalis subspecies will have the occasional wing bars), is a smaller, darker-gray junco; and again with one-less white tail feather (r4 being dark) on each side, giving the impression of a darker overall tail.

 

With that said, I have certainly seen individuals with significant wing-bars that I would not definitely put in either race; and I leave them as "unknown as to race".

 

I hope this helps. Let me if you get any pics.

 

Jeff J Jones

(jjones@jonestc.com)

Teller County - 8500' - Montane Woodlands

 

-----Original Message-----
From: cobirds@googlegroups.com [mailto:cobirds@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Robert Bowling
Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2013 4:06 PM
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
Subject: [Bulk] [cobirds] Question regarding Juncos at Fawn Brook Inn, Allenspark

 

Among the 6 Juncos at Fawn Brook Inn Sunday were two that appeared to be of the White-winged race. Does anyone know if they were likely that race or what Sibley describes as the "rare" Slate-colored with white wing bars. We were unable to compare body or bill size with the others as they kept separate and our camera battery died so no pics.

 

Other birds seen were 1 female Evening Grosbeak a resting (appeared sickly) BC and MT Chickadees a flitting , 7 Steller's Jays a pushing, 5 Pygmy Nuthatches a hopping, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers a drumming (male and female of both species), and one Magpie and House Finch each, sorry no Partridge.

 

Robert Bowling

 

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