Dark-eyed Junco Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesDark-eyed Junco
Adult male (Slate-colored)
Medium-sized sparrow with round head, long tail, and fairly small, pale bill. All juncos have prominent white outer tail feathers. Male "Slate-colored" form is mostly gray with white belly.
© Scott Martin / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, February 03, 2017Adult male (Oregon)
Medium-sized sparrow with round head, small, pale bill, and long tail with white outer feathers. "Oregon" form of western North America has dark brown hood, light brown back, buffy sides, and white belly.
© sam hough / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 25, 2016Adult male and juvenile (Slate-colored)
Breeds in forests; "Slate-colored" form is mostly clean gray with white belly. White outer tail feathers (present even in juvenile) and high, thin chip notes are distinctive.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 14, 2013Not all videos have sound
Adult male (Pink-sided)
All juncos have pale bills and white outer tail feathers that they flash in flight. "Pink-sided" form around Rocky Mountains has a slate-gray head, brown back, and pinkish-brown sides.
© 🦉Max Malmquist🦉 / Macaulay LibraryWyoming, June 12, 2020Adult (Red-backed)
Medium-sized sparrow with white outer tail feathers and small bill. "Red-backed" form of southwestern U.S. has gray head, dark face, and bright reddish brown back. Upper mandible of bill is darker gray than lower.
© Heather Pickard / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 28, 2018Adult male (Oregon)
Pale bill is distinctive for all forms of juncos. "Oregon" form has dark hood and brown back. Often feeds on ground; also comes to feeders.
© Evan Barrientos / Macaulay LibraryAlaskaNot all videos have sound
Adult (Gray-headed)
Medium-sized sparrow with small bill. "Gray-headed" form has gray head, dark face, and bright reddish brown back; very similar to "Red-backed" form but with all-pale bill.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryColorado, December 28, 2016Adult male (White-winged)
Medium-sized sparrow with small, pale bill and white outer tail feathers. "White-winged" form is slightly paler gray than "Slate-colored" form, with faint white wingbars and a dark face.
© Bradley Hacker 🦜 / Macaulay LibrarySouth Dakota, June 11, 2019Adult (Gray-headed)
White outer tail feathers are very prominent in flight but inconspicuous on ground. "Gray-headed" form of interior western North America has mostly gray head and body with reddish-brown back. This video has no audio.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 01, 1997Not all videos have sound
Adult male (cismontanus)
The "cismontanus" subspecies breeds in the Yukon Territory and British Columbia. It has a dark brown head, brown back, and white belly.
© Brad Heath / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, March 24, 2017Female/immature (Slate-colored)
Female and young "Slate-colored" form are variable; can be much browner than the males.
© Daniel Irons / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, January 22, 2019Adult (White-winged)
"White-winged" form resembles "Slate-colored" form but has two white wingbars. It occurs in a small range in the central United States. This video has no audio.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryMontana, October 01, 2000Not all videos have sound
Juvenile (Slate-colored)
Juvenile juncos are streaky, but note the white outer tail feathers and round-headed, small-billed general appearance.
© Yves Darveau / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, August 04, 2019Adult male (Slate-colored)
"Slate-colored" males have a gray head, throat, and breast that contrasts with a white belly.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 07, 2017Adult (Slate-colored)
Juncos are among the most common songbirds of North America. They typically live in forest understories but often visit feeders, especially during winter.
© Andree Dubreuil / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, April 27, 2017Female/immature (Oregon)
Females and immatures of the "Oregon" form have less contrast than the males, with a grayish hood and brown back and sides.
© Robert Hamilton / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 21, 2017Similar SpeciesSpotted Towhee
Adult male
Spotted Towhees are much larger than Dark-eyed Juncos. They are black on the back rather than brown, and they have brighter rufous on the flanks than "Oregon" Dark-eyed Juncos.
© John Reynolds / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, February 10, 2017Similar SpeciesBlack Phoebe
Adult (Northern)
Black Phoebes have a larger head and a straight, thin bill. They sit upright on exposed perches and catch flying insects instead of foraging on the ground like juncos.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 01, 2010Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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