Wildlife at Mount Auburn Cemetery: Dark-eyed Junco

Text by Bob Stymeist | Photos by Jason Barcus

The Dark-eyed Junco is a very common winter visitor to our area; the first appearance is usually in mid -October when these "snowbirds" arrive reminding us that winter is fast approaching. The Junco is a member of the sparrow family and at one point it was thought to be five different species!
 
The species we see here in the east is the "slate-colored" subspecies. It is a very common bird at Mount Auburn - sometimes one can see up to 100 individuals foraging on the ground in flocks and mingling with other sparrow species. The juncos scratch for food, usually hopping from place to place. They are very social and often quite tame though if startled the flocks will explode into the air.
 
Flocks can be found anywhere in the Cemetery, generally moving as a flock as they cover a wide area each day. When the first snow falls, the juncos can be seen scratching - hopping forward and then back with both feet at once moving the snow and hoping for that buried seed. The Dark-eyed Junco will return to its breeding grounds in April.