[Birdtalk] Four Subspecies of Dark-eyed Junco

[M. H. Wallace]

I must admit that I think I have seen some other Oregon Junco races at 
my feeder too.  Being truly an amateur birder, I sometimes am not quite 
sure of what I am seeing.  I noticed a few weeks back varieties of Junco 
that did not fit the standard Oregon variety, but I thought, naw, 
couldn't be others, just my lower-skill level.  But Kristin's report 
confirms that I too could have seen a pink-sided and possibly the 
Canadian Rocky slate-colored at my feeder here in East Millcreek back in 
February/March.

Matthew Wallace
East Millcreek

Kristin Purdy wrote:
> I'd like to report, with just a smattering of pride, four subspecies 
> of Dark-eyed Junco under my feeders in Ogden, Weber County, in the 
> past 2 days. The celebrity junco was the Slate-colored of the eastern 
> race that I saw yesterday. Previous Slate-coloreds that have appeared 
> in my yard have been of the Canadian Rocky Mountain race, which is 
> more common on this side of the Rockies. Yesterday's bird was my first 
> for the eastern race in my yard or even in Utah.
>
> Most of my juncos are of the Oregon subspecies, of course. I also have 
> a smattering of Pink-sided and some in-betweeners that I can't easily 
> put into either camp. I don't think I've ever paid attention enough to 
> notice Gray-headed; I see this bird at higher elevations during 
> breeding season after I've stopped watching my feeders. But this 
> morning I noticed a good candidate for a Gray-headed with a relatively 
> strong and well-defined rufous mantle and pale gray upper breast that 
> extended along the sides and flanks with no pinkish or rufous wash 
> there. Whoopee!
>
> Another junco observation is that the Pink-sided are by far the most 
> aggressive birds among the scratchers. They chase everything and the 
> Oregons don't hold their own very well. The Pink-sideds remind me of 
> the dominant male hummingbird that takes over a feeder to the 
> detriment of all others that try to feed.
>
> Pride goeth before my fall, of course. I haven't seen yesterday's 
> eastern Slate-colored again even though I continue to watch for him 
> with great expectations. Now, if a White-winged subspecies would just 
> show up, I'd be singing MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This!" with renewed 
> pride. But alas, I think the White-winged is only found in the 
> southeast corner of our state. The only report I remember was one of 
> Lu Giddings' from one of his many trips to San Juan County.
>
> Kris
>
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