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This species is slaty gray on the head, neck, breast, flanks, back, wings and central tail feathers; the rest of the underparts are white, sharply defined against the gray. They migrate through the United States in large flocks, usually accompanied by White-throated or Fox Sparrows.
They breed very abundantly in the northern parts of their range, frequently in the immediate vicinity of houses but generally on the edges of clearings, etc., placing their nests on the ground and generally partially concealed by rocks, stumps, sods or logs; the nests are made of gra.s.ses, lined with hair, and the four or five eggs are white or greenish white, variously speckled with reddish brown either over the entire surface or in a wreath about the large end. Size .80 .55.
567a. OREGON JUNCO. _Junco hyemalis orega.n.u.s._
Range.--Pacific coast from California to Alaska, breeding north of the United States.
This sub-species is entirely unlike the preceding, having a black head, neck, throat, breast, wings and tail, and brown back; the remainder of the underparts are white, washed with pinkish brown on the sides. The habits and nesting habits of this western Junco are the same as those of the eastern, the birds building in similar localities and making the nests of the same material. There appears to be little, if any, difference between the eggs of the two varieties.
567b. SHUFELDT'S JUNCO. _Junco hyemalis counectens._
Range.--Pacific coast breeding from Oregon to British Columbia and wintering south to the Mexican boundary.
Said to be slightly larger and duller colored than the Oregon Junco; eggs the same.
567c. THURBER'S JUNCO. _Junco hyemalis thurberi._
Range.--The Sierra Nevadas from Oregon to southern California.
Similar to _orega.n.u.s_ but paler and back more pinkish; eggs will not differ.
567d. POINT PINOS JUNCO. _Junco hyemalis pinosus._
Range.--A very locally confined variety breeding in pine woods of southwestern California, about Monterey and Santa Cruz.
Similar to _thurberi_ with the head and neck slaty instead of black.
[Ill.u.s.tration 351: Slate-Colored Junco.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: 567a--567g--567c.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: right hend margin.]
Page 350
567e. CAROLINA JUNCO. _Junco hyemalis carolinensis._
Range.--Alleghanies in Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia.
A slightly larger bird than the Slate-colored Junco and with the bill horn color instead of pinkish white. They have been found to breed very abundantly in the higher ranges of the Carolinas, nesting under banks, in tufts of gra.s.s, or occasionally in small bushes, in fact in such locations as are used by hyemalis. Their eggs which are laid during May, June or July (probably two broods being raised) are similar to those of the Slate-colored species but slightly larger.
567f. MONTANA JUNCO. _Junco hyemalis monta.n.u.s._
Range.--From northern Idaho and Montana north to Alberta; winters south to Mexico.
This variety is like _mearnsi_ but darker on the head and throat and with less pink on the sides. Its nesting habits and eggs do not differ from those of the Pink-sided Junco.
567g. PINK-SIDED JUNCO. _Junco hyemalis mearnsi._
Range.--Breeds in mountains of Idaho, Wyoming and Montana and winters south to Mexico.
This species has the head and breast gray, the back brownish and the sides pinkish brown. They breed at high alt.i.tudes in the ranges, placing their nests of gra.s.ses under sods or overhanging rocks; their eggs are pinkish white before being blown and are spotted over the whole surface but more heavily at the large end with pale reddish brown and gray. Size .80 .60.
570. ARIZONA JUNCO. _Junco phaeonotus palliatus._
Range.--Mountains of western Mexico north to southern Arizona.
Similar to the preceding species but upper mandible blackish and the gray on throat shading insensibly into the grayish white underparts.
They are quite abundant in the higher ranges of southern Arizona, where they breed, placing their nests on the ground in similar locations to those chosen by other Juncos; the three or four eggs are greenish white, finely speckled chiefly about the large end with reddish brown. Size .76 .60.
570a. RED-BACKED JUNCO. _Junco phaeonotus dorsalis._
Range.--Breeds in the mountains of New Mexico and Arizona and southward.
This variety is like the last but the reddish brown on the back does not extend to the coverts or wings. The nesting habits are like those of the last but the eggs are only minutely specked about the large end.
570b. GRAY-HEADED JUNCO. _Junco phaeonotus caniceps._
Range.--Rocky Mountain region from Wyoming south to Mexico.
This species is similar to the Slate-colored Junco but has a reddish brown patch on the back. They nest on the ground in mountainous regions, concealing the nests in tufts of gra.s.s or under logs, stones, etc. The eggs are creamy or bluish white, specked over the whole surface, but most numerously about the larger end with reddish brown. Size .75 .60.
Data.--Custer Co., Colo., June 4, 1897. Slight nest of small rootlets and fine gra.s.s placed under a tuft of gra.s.s. Alt.i.tude over 8,000 feet.
[Ill.u.s.tration 352: White.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: 570b--571--572.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]
Page 351
571. BAIRD'S JUNCO. _Junco bairdi._
Range.--Southern Lower California.
This gray headed species with rusty back and sides is locally confined to the southern parts of the California peninsula where it is resident.
Its eggs are not likely to differ from those of the Pink-sided Junco which it most nearly resembles.
567i. TOWNSEND'S JUNCO. _Junco hyemalis townsendi._
Range.--Mountains of northern Lower California; resident and breeding.
Similar to the Pink-sided Junco but duller colored; eggs probably the same.
