Junco Social Life

Juncos travel in groups called chitterings, flutters, hosts, or crews. Most are family members, although Juncos can and do adopt orphans along the way, as long as they are well-mannered, of course. They often fly with Sparrows, Chickadees, or Kinglets and are extremely protective of their clan; an aggressive intruder would be dealt with promptly by being swooped and dive-bombed. Not all Juncos migrate. Some do and some don't. For more information on migrations, please visit Junco Resources. 

A Junco male draws a mate by singing from the top of a tall tree, which lets the female know she's in his territory. Once he has her undivided attention, he'll strut around her, spread his tail (he flashes his whites), chirp, and trill. If she's interested (and how could she not be), it's a match made in heaven. 

Juncos almost always nest on the ground, hidden under ivy, bushes, overhanging rock, or inside a holed tree root. Nests are rarely more than 10 feet off the ground. The female does most of the nest building and creates a small bowl made out of grasses, leaves, and soft items she can find, such as moss, hairs, and feathers. The male helps. She lays 3-5 eggs (white to pale blue, gray, or green with specks of brown) and sits on them for 11-13 days. She'll have up to three broods per year, and both parents tend their young. Babies are ready to leave the nest in about thirteen days but stay close to their fledglings, continuing to feed and teach them.

Junco parents are never too long from their nests while foraging for food (maybe 15 minutes or so). When a threat, such as cats, crows, owls, or humans (they don't know), strikes, they join forces to escort danger away from the nest in a series of dives, swoops, and calls. 

Some birds crave solitude. Not the Junco. Juncos are social creatures and love stimuli. They even like being around people, so in the Pacific Northwest, you'll often see them hanging out on sidewalks, skipping around the feet of window-shopping pedestrians searching for dropped morsels in lazy little sea towns. They also enjoy music, particularly instrumentals, such as soft piano.

Of all birds, juncos are the most endearing. They are incredibly expressive, exhibiting human-like mannerisms, such as cocking their heads up and to the side when surprised or repulsed (like a child refusing spinach), standing tall and stretching their necks to get a better view, and wiggling all over when excited (like a puppy wagging its tail).

Juncos are frightened of sudden noises, anything too loud, and creatures and people they don't recognize. They began making "chip chip" sounds to warn other Juncos in the area. However, these small, dark-eyed birds have excellent memories and tend to remember the people who are kind to them (those who pose no threat) or feed them. They also recognize people they see regularly, as long as they still look the same; however, if you put on a pair of glasses or a hat, they'll avoid you. For those they know well, they tolerate a change in clothing, but accessories above the neck will drive Juncos to the nearest bush to hide. They also don't care for electronic gadgets.

Juncos don't see well in the dark, so they sleep at night and wake up at dawn. If you care for a Junco, you'll soon realize bedtime arrives in the twilight hour. It's best to provide a night light so they can see a little or completely cover their cage at night so they can't see all. In the wild, Juncos are affectionate, and those not nesting often sleep snuggled together to stay warm. Juncos raised in captivity will land on you and, sometimes, snuggle for a bit.