[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 9.25 in.]

This "Gray-headed" Dark-eyed Junco was photographed at Allenspark, CO. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=630mm) on a Nikon D300 camera. (Date: April 21, 2009)

[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 9.25 in.]

This "Gray-headed" Dark-eyed Juncoi was photographed at the Davis Mountains Resort, Fort Davis, TX. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=630mm) on a Nikon D300 camera. (Date: December 17, 2009)

[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 9.25 in.]

This "Oregon" Dark-eyed Juncoi was photographed at Davis Mountains State Park, Fort Davis, TX. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D300 camera. (Date: December 17, 2009)

[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 9.25 in.]

Except for the pink bill, white belly, and white outer tail feathers, the Dark-eyed Junco has a considerable amount of variation in its plumage across its wide range (throughout Canada and much of the US). Each of these plumage variations was formerly considered a separate species. The birds in the east were called Slate-colored Juncos. They are a dark, slate-color above and on the upper breast and throat. The birds along the edges of western coniferous forests were called Pink-sided Juncos. They have a light gray head, throat, and upper breast, with a brownish wash on the back and light salmon along the sides. The birds of the moist western coniferous forests were called Oregon Juncos. They have a dark head, throat, and upper breast, but are a chestnut-brown color on the back, with a wash of lighter brown along the sides. Birds in the Rocky Mountains were called Gray-headed Juncos. They look like a cross between the Slate-colored and Oregon Juncos, having a lighter gray head, throat, and upper breast, with a brownish back. A very small population of White-winged Juncos in the Black Hills of western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming are like the Slate-colored Juncos, but show faint white wingbars. The bird pictured is an Oregon Junco. This one was photographed in the foothills of coastal California. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: November 1997)

[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 9.25 in.]

This "Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco was photographed at Florey Park, Andrews County, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=630mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: December 5, 2007)

[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 9.25 in.]

This "Pink-sided" Dark-eyed Juncoi was photographed at Davis Mountains State Park, Fort Davis, TX. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D300 camera. (Date: December 17, 2009)

[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 9.25 in.]

This "Pink-sided" Dark-eyed Junco was photographed at Florey Park, Andrews County, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC20E II 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: November 29, 2007)

[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 9.25 in.]

Except for the pink bill, white belly, and white outer tail feathers, the Dark-eyed Junco has a considerable amount of variation in its plumage across its wide range (throughout Canada and much of the US). Each of these plumage variations was formerly considered a separate species. The birds in the east were called Slate-colored Juncos. They are a dark, slate-color above and on the upper breast and throat. The birds along the edges of western coniferous forests were called Pink-sided Juncos. They have a light gray head, throat, and upper breast, with a brownish wash on the back and light salmon along the sides. The birds of the moist western coniferous forests were called Oregon Juncos. They have a dark head, throat, and upper breast, but are a chestnut-brown color on the back, with a wash of lighter brown along the sides. Birds in the Rocky Mountains were called Gray-headed Juncos. They look like a cross between the Slate-colored and Oregon Juncos, having a lighter gray head, throat, and upper breast, with a brownish back. A very small population of White-winged Juncos in the Black Hills of western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming are like the Slate-colored Juncos, but show faint white wingbars. The bird pictured is a Pink-sided Junco. This "Pink-sided" Dark-eyed Junco was photographed at Florey Park, Andrews County, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC20E II 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: November 29, 2007)