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Dark-eyed Junco


Dark-eyed Junco
Photo Information
Copyright: Mario Belanger (EOSF1) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1381 W: 126 N: 5246] (23469)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-11-12
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 40D, Canon EF 100-400 F4-5.6 L IS USM, ISO 400, B+W 77 010 UV-Haze 1 x
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/800 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-12-30 8:35
Viewed: 643
Points: 52
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [French]
That's a male Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis 14-16 cm) taking a break on a branch of the garden and preparing to raid the feeders.

From: www.birds.cornell.edu

A widespread and common small sparrow, the Dark-eyed Junco is most familiar as a winter visitor to bird feeders. It comes in several distinctly different looking forms, but all are readily identified as "juncos" by their plain patterning, dark hood, and white outer tail feathers.

Description
top
Medium-sized sparrow.
Unstreaked gray or brown, no wingbars (usually).
Gray to black hood.
Belly white.
White outer tail feathers.
Eyes dark. Legs pink.

Size: 14-16 cm (6-6 in)
Wingspan: 18-25 cm (7-10 in)
Weight: 18-30 g (0.64-1.06 ounces)
Sex Differences
Sexes similar, but females average paler and browner.

Sound
Song is a musical trill. Calls a hard "tick," "smack," and a short twittering trill.

»listen to songs of this species
topConservation Status
Common.

Other Names
Junco ardois� (French)
Junco ojo oscuro (Spanish)


Cool Facts


Juncos are the "snowbirds" of the middle latitudes. In the eastern United States, they appear in all but the most northern states only in the winter, and then retreat each spring. Some juncos in the Appalachian Mountains remain there all year round, breeding at the higher elevations. These residents have shorter wings than the migrants that join them each winter. Longer wings help the migrants fly long distances.


The Dark-eyed Junco includes five forms that were once considered separate species. The "slate-colored junco" is the grayest, found from Alaska to Texas and eastward. The "Oregon junco" is boldly marked blackish and brown, with a distinct dark hood, and is found in the western half of the continent. The "gray-headed junco" has a brown back and gray sides and lives in the central Rocky Mountains. The "white-winged junco" is all gray with white wingbars, and breeds only near the Black Hills of South Dakota. The "Guadalupe junco" of Baja California is dull and brownish. Two other forms may be distinguishable: the "pink-sided junco," a pale version of the Oregon junco, living in the northern Rocky Mountains, and the "red-backed junco," a gray-headed junco with a dark upper bill, found in mountains near the Mexican border.


The Dark-eyed Junco is a common bird at winter bird feeders across North America. Data from Project FeederWatch show that it is often the most common feeder bird in an area, and it is on the top-ten lists of all regions except the Southeast and South-Central (where it is 11th and 12th, respectively). To view the top-25 lists of feeder birds from across the continent, go to the Project FeederWatch
uleko, nglen, fartash, eqshannon, Adanac, jaycee, rcrick, CeltickRanger, Luis52, scottevers7, Maite, pablominto, vanderschelden, dejo, pierrefonds has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Patleboss: Merci Pat !EOSF1 1 12-31 11:40
To scottevers7: Hello Scott !EOSF1 1 12-31 11:34
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Mario,
I always wonder how many different birds you have in your area.
This one is beautiful and you had good light.
Thanks and all the best for 2008.
Sabine - wishnugaruda

salut mario
belle photo
compo excellente couleurs et contraste aussi
foccus presque parfait
si on veut chipoter on dira que le focus est plus sur la patte gauche que surl'oeil!!

salut
bonne fin d'année
et surtout bonne année 2008
aleks ;-)

encore bravo

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2986 W: 162 N: 929] (2735)
  • [2007-12-30 9:08]

Hello Mario,
I really like the Junco, it is a very pretty bird and you've captured it in a lovely pose here. I like the light, the colours are beautiful and details very sharp. Nice background too. Well done!
TFS and best wishes for 2008! Ulla

Hello my friend Mario,
This is a true beauty!
perfect exposure and focus with a wonderful pose!
the sharpness, colouration and details is just perfect in this well captured
my compliment again
wishing you well
friend Tony

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2904 W: 34 N: 8600] (32056)
  • [2007-12-30 9:29]

Hi Mario. Once again a good close up of the little Junco. with good detail and colours.a nice pose and good use of the light. stands out well against the plain BG. well done TFS. good notes too.
Nick..
A Happy New Year To You.

Hello Mario
Excellent shot of this Dark-eyed Junco,
Great focusing,DOF and exposure,
Superb shot.

Good Luck
Fartash

I am starting to think the diagonal is the best with the birds...but I shall stick with two feet on tech ground till I get my own footing back...oh and maybe I'll get the camera on the tripod as well...another fine image. It is from folk like you that I learn this aviary world once more...
Bob

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
  • [2007-12-30 10:22]

Hello Mario,
Details to die for, fill flash was well used. This is an excellent image Mario. Our Juncos are either pink sided or slate colored. Different yet the same,Thanks Mario and Happy New Year.
Rick

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2007-12-30 11:30]

Hi Mario,

Would I love to spend a day in your garden - for both the marvelous birds that show up there and for some photograpby lessons from you. A beautiful Junco in a wonderful pose. Great eye contact, beautiful colors, fine details of the face and feathers.

Jane

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1971 W: 6 N: 5513] (19621)
  • [2007-12-30 12:14]

Salut Mario et merci pour cette magnifique photo,felicitations pour le nouveau anne' a toi e ta famille,Luciano

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2380 W: 94 N: 5487] (17484)
  • [2007-12-30 12:54]

Hello Mario,
Another wonderful beauty. Great pose, details and colours. The BG is perfect. Excellent composition.
All best wishes in 2008,
Peter

  • Great 
  • rcrick Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 710 W: 36 N: 1548] (4989)
  • [2007-12-30 16:33]

Hi Mario,
What a beautiful little bird, superb detail and excellent lighting, nice eye catch and well framed, all the best for the New Year Cheers Rick

salut Mario

belle image, belle pose de l'oiseau, excellent détails de son plumage,
j'aimes particulièrement le pov et le cadrage de ton image, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2007-12-30 17:15]

Hola Mario.- Other fine and nice bird here. and as always very sharp. Great colors ane focus. The pose and BG are just beautiful
TFS Mario. and Happy new year to You and Your Family.
Luis52.

Hi Marioo,
Excellent composition and framing. Nice sharp detail. I got to play around with a 40D today. Looks like that will be my next camera. Nice work here.
Scott

Salut mon cher Mario,
Outre le fait de te féliciter pour cette magnifique photo, je tenais à te souhaiter un superbe réveillon et une très bonne année 2008... non une excellente année 2008 ...non une extraordinaire année 2008 ... non carrément une éosf1ienne année 2008
amitiés,
Pat

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2256 W: 10 N: 2618] (15517)
  • [2007-12-31 3:39]

Hola Mario,
bonita captura y perfecto plumaje y pov,
detalles hermosos,
saludos

Happy New Year...

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5578] (18516)
  • [2007-12-31 5:18]

Hi Mario,
Wonderful shot of the Dark-eyed Junco with such sharp details and colours. Superb light and exposure management and the darkish BG highlights the subjects well. Great DOF here and I like your chosen POV to portray it. Very nicely composed too. Kudos. TFS.
WISHING YOU A PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2008.
Sumon

The light on this little fellow is wonderful, Mario. It is another great shot.

I'll be looking forward to more of your growing portfolio in 2008

TFS
Evelynn : )

Hi Mario, elegant bird in splendid pose with great sharpness and excellent details, very well done, HAPPY NEW YEAR, ciao Silvio

Hello Mario,
A fine dynamic composition, and the subject gives a lovely curious pose!
Details and colours: Top shelf...
...
And I wish a HAPPY NEW YEAR will come your way!
Seasonal greetings from a chilly Norway,
Pablo -

These little guys are plentiful at my feeder and i've been trying to capture them with a decent pose that doesn't include my ugly flower box! Perhaps one day I'll be successful - but at least now I know it's possible!! Your capture is perfect, Mario. I like the dof, tail slightly out of focus. Nice job!

Hello Mario,
I like the composition. Further on I want to underscore the good moment; its alert pose.
Well done
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • dejo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 375 W: 51 N: 519] (2238)
  • [2008-01-01 11:03]

HI Mario,
beautiful picture, lovely pose, great sharpness
very nice composition & background color
best regards
Dejan

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1007 W: 64 N: 1266] (5195)
  • [2008-01-03 7:19]

Dear Mario
Seeing at this precious special shot with such a lovely bird and splendid composition I want to take the opportunity to thank you for all the great moments I had enjoying your marvellous pictures and your pleasant comments. I hope to keep enjoying a lot more postings from you during the coming year.
Have a great Night and may 2008 will bring you great moments and lots of Happiness!!
With my best wishes
Maite

P:)

Bonjour Mario,

Le junco ardois sur la branche semble fixer un point devant lui. La prise de vue permet de voir avec précision les détails et les couleurs de l'oiseau. Une belle réussite, merci du partage.

Pierre

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