Wing Island Bird Banding Station: Photo Gallery

Here in the northeast, winter is often forecasted by the arrival of Slate-colored Juncos, also known as snowbirds. Male juncos can be heard singing a bell-like twittering as breeding season approaches. They feed primarily on the ground and are often seen under backyard feeders. Juncos favor the seeds of many grasses with annual crabgrass being a favorite, but half of their diet switches over to protein rich insects when raising their young. They build their nests on the ground and usually produce four white and brown speckled eggs and two broods per season.