Clipboard : BREEDING BIRD: DARK--EYED JUNCO (Junco hyemalis)

Description: Species resembles sparrows in shape. Males are gray overall, females are brownish-gray and juveniles are streaked. There is a predominant white belly and outer tail feathers with a whitish bill. Males have dark hood; females and immatures are duller. Length: 5 1/2 to 6 3/4 inches. Habitat: Roadsides, brush, undergrowth; patronizes feeders. Diet: Variety of seeds and insects including some spiders; nestlings feed entirely on partially-regurgitated insects. Displays: Courting pair hop together with wings drooped, tail fanned showing white outer feathers; from a low perch the male spreads drooping wings and tail, then sings softly. Nest: Coarse grass, moss, rootlets, twigs lined with fine materials built in shallow depression. Rarely nests in trees, shrubs or buildings. Eggs: Pale bluish-white marked with reddish-browns, often wreathed. Length: 0.8 inches. Call: In-flight twittering; also, sharp dit or smack notes. Song is a loose musical trilling of a single pitch. Notes: In adults, white outer tail feathers flash conspicuously in flight. Rapid tarsal development enables nestlings to run from nest if threatened before they are able to fly. Breeding bird atlas: To report bird breeding activity in your neighborhood, or to get information on the breeding bird atlas, call Sea and Sage Audubon Society members Sylvia Gallagher, (714) 962-8990, or Nancy Kenyon, (714) 786-3160. Note: Map is divided into 5-kilometer squares so that Audubon Society volunteers can more easily survey areas on a regular basis. Sources: Sea and Sage Audubon Society; “The Birder’s Handbook,” Ehrlich, Dobkin and Wheye, Fireside Books (1988); “Field Guide to the Birds of North America,” National Geographic Society (1987); “Birds of Southern California: Status and Distribution,” Garrett and Dunn, Los Angeles Audubon Society (1981). Indicates 5-kilometer-square areas where breeding activity has been confirmed.