6.25 inches long. The Dark-eyed Junco is a medium-sized sparrow with a pink conical bill and white outer tail feathers. The male Slate-colored form has a dark gray head, breast, and upperparts and a white belly. The females and immatures are browner and may have buffy flanks. The male Oregon form has a dark gray head and breast. The back and wings are brown. The belly is white with buffy flanks. Females and immature are duller. The Pink-sided form has a medium gray head with dark lores. The breast is also medium gray. The back and wings are brown. The belly is white with pinkish flanks. Females and immature are duller.
The Dark-eyed Junco is a very common winter visitor that arrives in late September and generally leaves by late April.
The Dark-eyed Junco was considered 5 different species at one time. They have now been lumped into one species with 5 forms. The Slate-colored form of the Dark-eyed Junco is the one that is most likely to be seen in the Omaha area. Oregon forms are not unusual and Pink-sided forms may rarely be seen. A common name for this bird is snowbird as it heralds the onset of winter. It is a tame bird that is conspicuous in ground-foraging winter flocks that are often found below feeders as they pick up the seeds that have been dropped. The junco’s total population is estimated at 630 million. In the spring before they leave the area for their breeding grounds you may hear the song that is a melodic trill. The call that is heard throughout the winter is a dry “tack, tack, tack”.
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