SPARKOWS 



(567) Junco hyemalis hyemalis 



(Linn.) (Lat., wintry). 



SLATE-COLORED JUNCO; 



SNOWBIRD. Ad (f —As shown 

 by the lower bird. Dark gray, shad- 

 ing to slate on the head and breast, 

 the latter being sharply defined 

 against the white of the belly; two 

 outer tail feathers white; bill flesh- 

 color. Ad. 9 , and Im. — As shown 

 by the upper bird. Much paler, the 

 breast being brownish-gray. L., 6.25; 

 W., 3.00; T., 2.70; B., .40. Nest — 

 Of weeds and rootlets, lined with fine 

 grasses on the ground. 



Range — Breeds from mountains 

 in Mass., N. Y. and from Minn, 

 northward. Winters from the Cana- 

 dian border southward. (567e) CAR- 

 OLINA JUNCO (J. h. carolinensis) 

 breeds in the Alleghenies from Pa. to 

 Ga. 



WHITE- WINGED JUNCOS are quite abundant in the 

 Rocky Mountains and are included in this book because 

 they occur in limited numbers in the Black Hills, South 

 Dakota, and in northwestern Nebraska. Even more west- 

 ern in its distribution is the Red-backed Junco, which in 

 winter occurs east to western Texas. Their habits are not 

 in any respect different from those of our familiar eastern 

 species. 



SLATE-COLORED JUNCOS are abundant throughout 

 eastern United States during winter. They are commonly 

 known as Snowbirds because they are seen about the time 

 of the first snowstorm and remain with us until snow leaves. 

 They are nearly always associated in flocks and are rather 

 restless in their movements, covering considerable ground 

 while feeding during the course of each day. They are 

 happy-go-lucky fellows, nearly always twittering their 

 musical notes regardless of the weather or whether food is 

 plenty or difficult to get. They are never very shy and 



320 



