Oregon Juncos Keep the Garden Hoppin'

Local arborist, Michael Oxman caught this shot of an Oregon Junco in West Seattle.

A serious fellow - ph credit Michael Oxman

Oregon or Dark-eyed Juncos are ground feeders mostly from the sparrow family.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has the scoop.

• Dark-eyed Juncos are birds of the ground. They hop around the bases of trees and shrubs in forests or venture out onto lawns looking for fallen seeds. You’ll often hear their high chip notes, given almost absent-mindedly while foraging, or intensifying as they take short, low flights through cover.

• Habitat

  Dark-eyed Juncos breed in coniferous or mixed-coniferous forests across Canada, the western U.S., and in the Appalachians. During winter you’ll find them in open woodlands, fields, parks, roadsides, and backyards.