LAND BIRDS. 



513 



234. Junco. Junco hyemalis hyemalis (Linn.). (567) 



Synonyms: Slate-colored Junco, Snowbird, Common Snowbird, Slate-colored Snowbird, 

 Blue Snowbird, Black Snowbird, White-bill. — Fringilla hyemalis, Linnajus, 1758, Bonap., 

 Sw. & Rich., Aud. — Fringilla nivalis, Wils., Nutt. — Jmico hyemalis of most authors. 



Figure 116. 



Mainly slate-colored, the under parts from lower breast to tail white; 

 two outer pairs of tail-feathers pure white and the third pair largely so; 

 bill pink or nearly white. 



Distribution. — North America, chiefly east of the Rocky Mountains, 

 breeding from the higher parts of the Alleghanies and the mountainous 

 parts of southern New England northward. South in winter to the Gulf 

 States. 



An abundant migrant throughout the Avhole state, a common summer 

 resident of the northern half, and a winter resident of the southern half. 

 In the preceding 

 sentence the word 

 half really includes in 

 both cases much more 

 than half the state. 

 The Snowbird nests 

 commonly in all suit- 

 able places from lati- 

 tude 44° northward, 

 m ore abundantly, 

 however, in the higher 

 counties of the Lower 

 Peninsula and the 

 whole Upper Penin- 

 sula. South of 44° it 

 nests here and there, 

 probably with some 

 frequency as far south 

 at least as 43° and oc- 

 casionally even far- 

 ther. It was seen by 

 Dr. R. H. Wolcott gathering material for nest-building at Grand Rajjids, Kent 

 county in June, and Dr. Atkins included it among the birds known to 

 breed at Locke, Ingham county, in 1883. Miss Harriet H. Wright, of 

 Saginaw writes: "I found two Junco nests at Bay Port, Huron county, 

 June 1906. One found June 4th contained three birds, the other, found 

 June 12th, four eggs. There must have been more birds nesting as I 

 would see a number of birds at a time at the edge of the water where the 

 flsh flies had washed up." On the other hand, although it is given as a 

 winter resident by most observers in the state, it is certain that by far 

 the greater number of Juncos pass entirely out of the state on their south- 

 ward migration, returning, however, in early spring. During mild winters 

 large numbers remain in the southern half of the state, but ordinarily 

 it is found only in small flocks or little parties, or not at all, during Decem- 

 ber, January and February. Mr. Swales states that in the neighborhood 

 G5 



Fig. 116. .Tunco; Snowbird. 



Photograph from mounted specimen. 



Courtesy of Wm. T. Shaw. 



