what to feed slate juncos

Seeds from common plants such as chickweed, buckwheat, lamb’s-quarters and sorrel make up 75 percent of their year-round diet. But juncos also supplement their diet with feeder foods. These snowbirds prefer to forage on the ground for millet

, sunflower hearts or cracked corn that has fallen from your feeders.

Full Answer

What kind of seeds do Juncos eat?

Seeds from common plants such as chickweed, buckwheat, lamb’s-quarters and sorrel make up 75 percent of their year-round diet. But juncos also supplement with feeder foods.

What attracts the dark-eyed junco?

Other plants that attract Dark-Eyed Juncos include buckwheat, lamb’s quarters, sorrel, pigweed, purslane, and vetch. Seeds from these plants comprise most of a Dark-Eyed Junco’s diet, especially during the winter when insects are unavailable.

How do you take care of a junco in the winter?

Because Dark-eyed Juncos move only to the edge of frozen ground in winter, they may benefit from heated bird baths. If you don't have that available make sure you refill your birdbath with warm water every morning during freezing weather. Warm water should stay liquid for a couple of hours to provide all the birds with needed hydration.

How do you feed a baby Juncos baby?

To feed baby Dark-Eyed Juncos, you can purchase mealworms from a pet store and place them in a feeder. The parent Juncos will gather the mealworms and carry them to the nest, where the young will be waiting for the delicious meal.

What does a slate colored junco eat?

Mostly seeds and insects. Close to half of summer diet of adults consists of insects, including caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, true bugs, and others, also spiders. Feeds heavily on seeds of weeds and grasses, especially in winter. Also eats some berries.

Will juncos eat from a hanging feeder?

These small sparrows prefer ground-level feeders or broad, open trays. There, they can easily perch and still have a good view of the surrounding area. You can sprinkle seed directly on the ground for juncos, and these birds will happily clean up under hanging feeders.

Do juncos eat from suet feeders?

Juncos will eat suet when spread at the base of a tree. However, traditional suet feeders are difficult for these birds to use. Because they are ground feeders, Juncos are not accustomed to clinging to the side of a suet log.

Will juncos eat black oil sunflower seeds?

Dark-eyed Juncos love black oil sunflower seeds, and these are one of their favorite foods. They will visit feeders for them, when their preferred food sources are scarce around the winter months.

What are juncos favorite food?

Juncos are ground-feeding, granivorous birds – which means they primarily eat seeds and grain. Favorites are hulled sunflower seed, white proso millet, and cracked corn. Because they eat near the ground, a low platform feeder or open tray is an excellent choice.

What kind of food do juncos like?

Seeds from common plants such as chickweed, buckwheat, lamb's-quarters and sorrel make up 75 percent of their year-round diet. But juncos also supplement their diet with feeder foods. These snowbirds prefer to forage on the ground for millet, sunflower hearts or cracked corn that has fallen from your feeders.

Do juncos eat Nyjer seed?

They typically use platform feeders or feed on the ground." Clearly, juncos are considered ground feeders that occasionally take nyjer seeds that have fallen to the ground.

Do juncos eat cracked corn?

Dark-eyed Juncos love cracked corn. Chipping Sparrows, Field Sparrows, and Song Sparrows eat cracked corn. White-crowned Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, and White-throated Sparrows sometimes eat cracked corn. Northern Cardinals will eat cracked corn.

Will juncos eat mealworms?

Birds that are likely to take mealworms from a feeder include: Song Sparrows, chickadees, nuthatches, wrens, towhees, juncos, jays, woodpeckers, Varied Thrush and, of course bluebirds!

Can juncos crack open sunflower seeds?

Juncos LOVE eating sunflower seeds, but they seem to like them best when already shelled. While they can crack open the thin shells of black-oil sunflower seeds, I have found they prefer to eat them with the husks already taken off.

Do juncos eat peanuts?

Birds That Eat Peanuts The most common birds that enjoy peanuts include: Chickadees. Crows. Dark-eyed juncos.

Will juncos eat safflower seed?

Yes, Juncos eat Safflower seeds. These little birds love to munch on Safflower seeds. Dark-eyed Juncos munch on safflower seeds if they ever find 'em.

Can juncos open sunflower seeds?

Juncos LOVE eating sunflower seeds, but they seem to like them best when already shelled. While they can crack open the thin shells of black-oil sunflower seeds, I have found they prefer to eat them with the husks already taken off.

Will juncos use a birdhouse?

When Melissa Sherwood wrote to NestWatch asking if it was unusual for a Dark-eyed Junco to nest in a birdhouse, we initially thought it was a case of mistaken ID. We told her that juncos don't nest in cavities, as they are known to be open-cup nesters (although they will nest in crevices or crannies near the ground).

Do juncos like nyjer seed?

They typically use platform feeders or feed on the ground." Clearly, juncos are considered ground feeders that occasionally take nyjer seeds that have fallen to the ground.

Do juncos like mealworms?

WHAT BIRDS EAT MEALWORMS? Most of our urban songbirds are at least partially insectivorous, especially when feeding nestlings! Birds that are likely to take mealworms from a feeder include: Song Sparrows, chickadees, nuthatches, wrens, towhees, juncos, jays, woodpeckers, Varied Thrush and, of course bluebirds!

What can I feed juncos?

Now that we have discussed their natural diet let’s talk about what you can feed juncos.

What do juncos eat in the winter?

They will occasionally eat winter berries as well.

How do juncos find food?

Juncos are natural foragers. They mainly search for their food on the ground, snatching tasty insects or seeds as they find them. Occasionally a junco may grab a juicy berry while flying by a fruiting bush.

How often do juncos eat?

Juncos will frequently eat throughout the day when they are most active. They are likely to forage even more often when feeding chicks.

What do juncos drink?

Juncos prefer fresh water to drink. It is relatively easy for them to find suitable water sources within their habitat. They may even melt snow in their bills for a drink on the go.

Are juncos ground feeders?

Juncos are mainly ground feeders. They prefer to forage for insects and seeds on the ground rather than while flying or perching.

What do juncos eat?

Food: Juncos are granivorous and especially prefer white proso millet, hulled sunflower seeds and chips, and cracked corn. As ground-feeding birds, they feed best from low platform feeders or open trays, and sprinkling seed on the ground can also attract juncos.

How to attract juncos?

More Tips for Attracting Juncos 1 Discourage feral cats that can be a dangerous threat to these ground-feeding birds. 2 Minimize insecticide use during the breeding season when juncos feed insects to their chicks. 3 Provide a wide, open feeding area that can accommodate large flocks of hungry juncos. 4 Keep the feeding area clean of spoiled seed and old hulls that can bury fresh seed. 5 If needed, place a cage over the feeding area to keep larger birds from disrupting the juncos. 6 Keep snow removed from the birds' favorite feeding areas so they can more easily access seed.

How to keep juncos from roosting in the fall?

Shelter: These sparrows use shrubbery and low coniferous trees for regular shelter, and in harsh weather, they may take advantage of bird roost boxes. If your landscaping is not quite junco-friendly, leaving bushes and shrubs unpruned in the fall and waiting until spring to do any trimming can provide juncos a suitably sheltered place to roost. Adding a brush pile to the yard can also provide good shelter for juncos. They may also take shelter under wood piles, sheds, decks, or other structures if there are small gaps where they can enter.

What is a dark eyed junco?

Dark-eyed juncos are a type of sparrow distinct for their pale bills and white outer tail feathers. These perky birds are active and energetic as they hop with both feet to forage, and they are welcome at many feeders as energetic winter guests. While juncos do stay year-round in some parts of North America, they are much more widespread during ...

How to discourage feral cats from feeding on birds?

Discourage feral cats that can be a dangerous threat to these ground-feeding birds. Minimize insecticide use during the breeding season when juncos feed insects to their chicks. Provide a wide, open feeding area that can accommodate large flocks of hungry juncos.

Where do juncos build their nests?

Nesting Sites: Juncos build their nests relatively low in short trees or sheltered by fallen trees or rock piles. A yard without those features can still be attractive to nesting juncos if proper nesting materials are offered, such as pine needles, moss, fine twigs, and animal fur. Juncos do not reuse their nests for successive broods, so birders who do have juncos nesting nearby can easily remove those nests after the chicks have fledged. This can encourage juncos to build additional nests later in the season, especially in these birds' southern ranges where multiple broods are common.

Do juncos come to feeders in winter?

Juncos are one of the most popular birds at feeders during the winter, but if you don't have juncos appearing at your backyard buffet quite yet, how can you attract them? It is easy to get juncos to be regular visitors to your yard.

What do juncos eat in the fall?

In autumn, juncos energetically forage through leaf litter for fallen seeds as well as insects and grubs. Leaving leaf litter intact will not only provide juncos with extra natural food, but will also help them feel more comfortable and secure in the yard.

What are juncos in my yard?

Juncos are sweet little birds and can be charming visitors to your yard, if you can successfully attract them. What do you need to bring juncos to your yard, and when can you expect their visits?

Why are juncos called snowbirds?

Dark-eyed juncos are more widespread in the winter months, and are often called “snowbirds” because they appear in backyards most often when snow is on the ground. Attracting these energetic birds is easy, if you make your yard junco-friendly to meet their needs.

What is a dark eyed junco?

The dark-eyed junco ( Junco hyemalis) is part of the Passerellidae bird family and a close relative of other New World sparrows, including the chipping spar row, white-crowned sparrow, and eastern towhee.

Do Juncos need shelter?

These small birds will readily use all types of shelter. Coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs provide perfect natural shelter. Pruning should be minimized in late autumn so the cover is as dense as possible for maximum protection. Any branches that are pruned can be added to a brush pile for extra shelter. Juncos will even tuck themselves into openings in a wood pile to stay protected from poor weather or to hide from predators.

Do juncos like snow?

Juncos can easily melt snow in their bills for a quick drink, but providing fresh, clean, liquid water is a great way to attract these birds. In winter, a heated bird bath is very helpful and will attract many birds looking for an easy drink. Broad, low baths are best for juncos and will give every member of a flock of birds a good chance for a drink. Positioning the bath near dense shrubs or other cover will also help these birds feel more secure.

Do juncos roost in the winter?

Extra shelter is always welcome in winter. Juncos will use roost boxesat night, with several birds tucking in to the box together to share body heat in the cozy space.

Where do juncos build their nests?

In addition, they almost always build their nests on the ground, usually in a spot well hidden under shrubs or overhanging branches. And, like other juncos, they form small flocks in winter, often joining with other birds, such as white-throated sparrows or American tree sparrows. They fit in well with these birds because juncos are actually ...

Where do red backed juncos live?

But just to the south, in the mountains of central Arizona and New Mexico, lives a bird that looks almost the same but with a bill at least half black. Called the red-backed junco, it’s less migratory than most of its cousins, generally staying in the same mountain forests during all seasons.

Why are juncos called snowbirds?

They are often referred to as snowbirds because they appear to carry gray storm clouds on their backs and white snow on their bellies. But they also earn this nickname because of the cadence of their southerly migration—they fly ...

What is a pink sided junco?

Pink-Sided Junco. Just out to the west, in Wyoming and southern Montana, is the summer range of dark-eyed juncos that are also large and pale, but with brown backs and pinkish buff sides. The birds are sometimes called pink-sided juncos but are occasionally considered a type of Oregon junco.

What color are juncos?

Slate-colored juncos are the least colorful of the juncos, with their basic gray and white, but they are still beautiful in their simplicity. They share some similarities with other juncos, such as their white outer tail feathers that are obvious when they fly.

Do juncos live in the same flock?

At some places in the West, three or four types of dark-eyed juncos may mix together in the same winter flocks. In the East, almost all the juncos are of the slate-colored type, but the occasional Oregon junco wanders as far east as the Atlantic Coast.

Do juncos have different colors?

Juncos show a remarkable amount of variation from place to place. Their regional color forms were previously classified as separate species. Now most have been combined under the name of dark-eyed junco, but it’s easy to recognize the differences in plumage.

Habitat

Given that these birds can be found across the US and Canada it only makes sense they also enjoy a variety of habitats including forested areas (both coniferous and deciduous), wide-open spaces, partially wooded edges, parks, and backyards. So, just about everywhere!

Diet & Feeding Behavior

These birds are groundhoppers. After all, that’s where their primary food source can be found – insects (beetles, mothers, butterflies, caterpillars, ants wasps, flies) and spiders. During the spring and summer, insects and spiders make up the majority of their diet and are what they feed their young.

Next Steps

Take another look at the dark-eyed junco range map above and figure out when they’ll be in your area. If you’re in the year-round zone, celebrate! If not, mark your calendar for when they’ll be in your neck of the woods.

What do juncos eat?

On an annual basis, a junco’s diet is made up of approximately three parts seeds to one part insects. During the nesting period, the percent of insects can increase up to 50 or 60 % of their diet.

How to attract juncos to my yard?

You can attract juncos to your yard by feeding a seed blend containing millet and hulled sunflower seeds.

How many eggs do juncos lay?

Juncos typically have two broods per year with the female building her nest on or near the ground and laying 3-5 eggs. The male does not incubate the eggs but does deliver food to the young and helps the female to defend against predators. The young leave the nest in 9-12 days.

Why do juncos spend the winter?

Male juncos tend to spend the winter farther north in order to shorten their spring migration and thus gain the advantage of arriving first at prime breeding territories.

How many birds do juncos have in winter?

Juncos spend the entire winter in flocks averaging in size from six to thirty or more birds.

What is the dominance of juncos?

Each winter flock of juncos has a dominance hierarchy with adult males at the top, then juvenile males, adult females and young females at the bottom. You can often observe individuals challenging the status of others with aggressive displays of lunges and tail flicking.

Where do juncos migrate?

While almost all Slate-colored Juncos in the Eastern portion of North America migrate, a population of juncos in the Appalachian Mountains is residential, remaining in the same area year-round.

What do juncos eat?

They also eat beetles, moths, caterpillars and similar invertebrates, especially in summer . Other insects that juncos eat include weevils, grasshoppers, true bugs, ants, wasps, and spiders. Almost half of summer food is composed of these invertebrates. Parent juncos primarily feed insects to their nestlings.

What do juncos eat in winter?

In winter, even more of the diet is seeds. Most of the seeds juncos eat are small. They include grass seeds, small grains, and weed seeds. Some of the weed seeds that make up a large part of their diet includes seeds of ragweed, smartweed, pigweed, lamb's-quarters, chickweed, purslane, vetch, sorrels, thistles, crabgrasses.

How do sparrows get seeds?

They also glean seeds from low standing plants by flying up and landing on the seed head and using their weight to "ride" the seed head to the ground. They often mix with other sparrows in winter.

How to get rid of dark eye juncos?

Replace wet seed with dry fresh seed. Dark-eyed Juncos readily come to feeders. But to encourage them to find the feeders when they first arrive in fall or winter, spread a light scattering of seeds on bare ground or cement patio. But don't put out so much so frequently that you are attracting rodents.

Where do juncos feed?

More often than not, though, juncos will feed on the ground under the feeders where seeds have spilled out. Here is a platform feeder that would be attractive to Dark-eyed Juncos and other ground feeding sparrows and towhees. These can be mounted on a pole or hung from a sturdy hook.

How to keep juncos from running out of water?

Try placing shallow saucers on the ground filled with water. Try using the glazed saucers you place under clay pots to keep water from running out of your potted plants.

How to keep seeds from soaking up water?

Such a tray should have good drainage to keep the seeds from soaking up water. The floor of such a feeder is best as a fine mesh or screen to allow good air flow. Then wet seeds can quickly dry out.