These Birds Stand Out For One Reason And One Reason Only, Its Their Startling Bright Yellow Eyes!

clonejoe | April 3, 2023 | Articles

A highly distinctive bird for one reason and one reason only due to a pair of startling bright yellow eyes which appear to spring from an otherwise bandit-like mask.

Meet the Yellow-eyed Junco

“Yellow-eyed Junco” by Gary L. Clark is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

The yellow-eyed junco (Junco phaeonotus) is the only species of junco with yellow eyes. Its combination of grey sides and a bright rufous back distinguishes it from other members of this species mainly because of its pale breast, except the Gray-headed form of the Dark-eyed Junco.

“900 – YELLOW-EYED JUNCO (11-6-2020) garden canyon, ft huachuca, huachuca mts, cochise co, az -01” by Sloalan is marked with CC0 1.0.

Juvenile birds tend to be gray overall with a rusty back and black streaks above and below.

Like other sparrows, it has the trademark small conical bill.

“Yellow-eyed Junco|Trip to Rustler Park|AZ | 2015-05-30at14-04-201” by Bettina Arrigoni is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

This bird resides mainly in Mexico, however, part of its range does extend into southern parts of Arizona and New Mexico.

“Yellow-eyed Junco | Greenhouse Trail | Portal | AZ|2018-09-02|10-29-49” by Bettina Arrigoni is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

This is a bird who prefers mountain forested regions, especially if it includes pine and or oak.

“junco aux yeux jaunes, junco ojilumbre, junco ojo de lumbre, yellow-eyed junco” by Steve Taylor is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

An omnivirous bird they will dine on insects mostly in the summer, along with a variety of weeds and grasses year round.

“Yellow-eyed Junco” by Wildreturn is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

During the breeding season these birds nest on or close to the ground, no more than a few feet high. Nests will often be hidden in a cleft or under a log, small shrub, or in a clump of grass. The nest is built by the female, sometimes with a helpful male, into which she lays 3-4 eggs which are blue, spotted with reddish brown and incubatged by her for around 15 days. Both parent s feed the young who leave after around 10 days.

“Yellow-eyed Junco (juvenile)” by don r faulkner is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Due to their large range this bird is regarded as of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

“900 – YELLOW-EYED JUNCO (1-10-10) sunny flats c g, cave creek, cochise co, az (2)” by Sloalan is marked with CC0 1.0.

You can watch this bird right here in the video below:

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