242 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



SLATE-COLORED JUNCO; SNOWBIRD; Juneo hyemalis 

 hyemalis (Linnaeus). 



State records. — The junco, or snowbird, as it is most often 

 called, is a common winter resident from late in October to 

 the middle of April. The species was found in abundance in 

 winter and spring at Woodville, Florence, Ardell, Sand Moun- 

 tain, Auburn, Autaugaville, Carlton, and Jackson, and in 

 smaller numbers at York, Uniontown, and Dean. None were 

 seen in the coast region. 



First migrants from the north arrived at Leighton October 

 21 (1893), and at Greensboro October 25 (1890) and October 

 26 (1893) . The last seen at Greensboro were noted by Avery, 

 April 8 (1893) , and the last at Leighton by McCormack, April 

 12 (1891). A few stragglers were noted by Holt at Myrtle- 

 wood, April 16, 1912, and by the writer on Sand Mountain 

 (Jackson County) , April 12 to 17, 1914. 



General habits. — During the winter season the junco occurs 

 in loose flocks, frequenting hedges, weedy fields, and the bor- 

 ders of woodland. It feeds largely on the ground and 

 scratches among the dead leaves in its search for food. The 

 flocks easily take alarm at the approach of a person and as 

 they flit away they display their white outer tail feathers and 

 utter their characteristic tsip. Langille describes the song 

 as "a prolonged tintinnabulous twitter — a more musical ren- 

 dering of the monotonous strokes in the plain melody of the 

 chipping sparrow. Sometimes, however, one may surprise it 

 in a soft, low warble, as if indulging in a musical soliloquy."* 



Food habits. — During its stay in the South, the junco feeds 

 almost entirely upon the seeds of various weeds and grasses, 

 including amaranth, pigweed or lamb's-quarteris, ragweed, 

 crabgrass, pigeon-grass, purslane, broom sedge, Russian this- 

 tle, etc. A small proportion of grain is eaten, but not enough 

 to counterbalance the good effect of the consumption of weed 

 seed. 



'I^ausUle, J. K., Our birds in tlieir haunts, p. 83, 1884. 



