Pink-sided Juncos / Denver

[Dave Cameron]

I have Juncos in the yard (like everyone else) from mid- to late-October, through late March.  Very early in that time span, there are Pink-sided, and then it's strictly Oregons and Slate-coloreds through the winter, along with the black-hooded, white-bellied variety, sans brown, that I guess is an intergrade of these latter two.  At the very end of the aforementioned period, there are pink-sided again, and that began this past Sunday, with a sudden influx of them amongst the 'regulars.' 

 

Also, with six Juncos outside right now, this may mark the latest date on the calendar that I've ever had them stay, presumably due to recent snowy-ness.  Typically, right around now marks the last of them. 

 

Anyway, assuming the Pink-sideds migrate through here and back through, while the Oregons, et. al. migrate to here and stay, then the  reappearance of Pink-sided seems to indicate the call to the bell, if you will, of them leaving for the season.  I'll scatter a little extra for the journey.

 

Not monumental news, just an observation. 

 

Cheers,

 

Dave Cameron

Denver

[Regina King]

I have 3 kinds of Juncos at my feeders - still.  The Slate-coloreds and Pink-sided in equal numbers, with a few Oregon spinkled in.  Routine numbers are anywhere up to 12-15 at a time.  I am always hopeful to someday see a White-winged, but never have.

 

I live in unincorporated Jeffco, vicinity of Bowles & Kipling

 

Regina King

Littleton, CO

[Karl Stecher Jr.]

Regina, I have multiple junco varieties as well. I believe we (lowland 5280
feet Denver) are at the edge of the white-winged's winter range. Bill and
Sylvia Brockner in Evergreen had them all the time through the years, when I
had none (Cherry Hills Village/Belleview and Holly, now Centennial/Orchard
and Colorado Blvd).
The different varieties arrive and leave at different times, fall and
spring.
I believe the white-winged is a separate species, but work has not yet been
done. The size and shape seem slightly different, besides the evident wing
bars and grayish color. As such, I believe it important to report them, as
we have birders living in many of these "border" sites. However, when I
reported one earlier this winter season to the list, and inquired why it
wasn't posted in the daily summary, I was rebuffed and told it was not a
separate species. The bird was seen on one day by me (posted in my report
to CoBirds), then once three days later. This was the first such bird I had
seen in living here for over 6 years.

Karl Stecher
Centennial

Regina King writes:

> I have 3 kinds of Juncos at my feeders - still. The Slate-coloreds and

> Pink-sided in equal numbers, with a few Oregon sprinkled in. Routine

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