“SNOWBIRDS” WINTERING AT CARILLON STONEGATE POND!

Those of us who live in northern Illinois refer to our family and friends who head south for the winter as “snowbirds”. Well, the Carillon Stonegate community has a different kind of snowbird that comes to northern Illinois for the winter.

It's the Dark-eyed Junco. 

According to All About Birds (all my sources for information in this blog are identified near the end), Dark-eyed Juncos are “neat, even flashy little sparrows that flit about forest floors of the western mountains and Canada, then flood the rest of North America for winter” – including Carillon Stonegate Pond. 

Dark-eyed Junco ground feeding.

Common Name: Dark-eyed Junco. 

Scientific Name: Junco Hyemalis. 

What to look for?  The Dark-eyed Junco is about the size of a sparrow with a rounded head, a short, stout bill and a long, conspicuous tail. The male is dark gray with a white lower breast and belly. The female has browner tones atop the gray. And if you see one, it’s quite likely that others are nearby. 

How big are they? The Dark-eyed Junco averages 6 inches in length. They weigh in at approximately one-half to 1 ounce. And their wingspan is 7 to 10 inches. 

Dark-eyed Junco roosting in tree of Carillon Stonegate Pond.

What are their flight patterns? Dark-eyed Juncos are not known for anything specific when it comes to flight. Around Carillon Stonegate Pond, you may see them fly back and forth from shrubs to conifers to feeders. And as they fly, Dark-eyed Juncos will flash their snowy-white outer tail feathers. 

How else do they behave? Dark-eyed Juncos are likely to be sighted on the ground. They hop around the bases of trees and shrubs and below bird feeders. They generally feed on the ground, pecking at insects and seeds and using their feet to scratch leaves away to reveal hidden morsels. Dark-eyed Juncos feed in a hierarchy, with adult males first, followed by young males, adult females, and finally young females. At a feeding station - or more likely under a feeder, they often seem to be jostling for position. 

What’s for dinner? Dark-eyed Juncos are primarily seed-eaters, with seeds making up about 75% of their year-round diet. At our bird feeders, Dark-eyed Juncos seem to prefer millet over sunflower seeds. During the breeding season, they add insects to their diet. 

Dark-eyed Junco feeding.

Where do they take up residence? At Carillon Stonegate Ponds, these Dark-eyed Juncos are visiting “snowbirds” – only here for the winter! Juncos are creatures of habit. Chances are that the junco you see in your neighborhood this year is the same junco you saw last year. Dark-eyed Juncos return to the same wintering area, follow the same daily routines and roost overnight in the same evergreens (sound like anyone you know?). 

Where do they migrate? At Carillon Stonegate Ponds, these Dark-eyed Juncos are visiting “snowbirds” – only here for the winter! They arrive in late September or October and leave in May to return further north (northern U.S. states and Canada) to breed. 

Dark-eyed Junco Migration Map Courtesy of All About Birds.

Do they make any interesting sounds? The Dark-eyed Junco makes a twittering call. Or you may hear their trilling song. 
Interesting Facts About Dark-eyed Junco: 

• Spend the entire winter in flocks averaging in size from six to 30 or more birds. 
• Female juncos migrate earlier and go farther south (Gulf Coast) than most of the males. 
  Migrate at night at very low altitudes.
• Layer in the winter with over 30 percent more feathers (by weight) than they do in summer. 
• Spend over 65% their time on the ground foraging.
• Known to burrow through snow in search of seeds that have been covered over. 

For more information on Dark-eyed Junco and sources of information used in this blog (these are the sources that I am using to learn as I blog), please visit All About Birds, Audubon Society and Chicago Botanic Gardens. There are good articles in the Evanston Roundtable and the Freeport Journal Standard. And the Cornell Lab of Ornithology provides a wonderful source of information for anyone interested in learning more about birds.

The Carillon at Stonegate community is very fortunate to have a variety of wetland, forest and prairie environments conducive to a variety of birds and other wildlife. Our community and the Kane County Forest Preserve does an exceptional job in maintaining this natural environment – both for the benefit of the birds and wildlife and for our residents to enjoy.

Take a hike and see what you can find – and identify!

And please come back to our blog – “Life on Carillon Stonegate Pond” to learn more about the birds and wildlife the either live or visit this wonderful habitat. As I learn, I share with you.