Yellow-eyed Junco

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iYellow-eyed Junco
Conservation status
Least Concern (LC)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae Genus: Junco Species: J. phaeonotus
Binomial name
Junco phaeonotus (Wagler, 1831)

The Yellow-eyed Junco, Junco phaeonotus, is a species of junco, a genus of small American sparrows. It is the only North American junco with yellow eyes. Alternate names include Mexican Junco, Baird's Junco, Chiapas Junco, and Guatemala Junco.

Its range is primarily in Mexico, extending into some of the mountains of the southern tips of the U.S. states of Arizona and New Mexico. Not generally migratory, but sometimes moves to nearby lower elevations during winter. The female species lays 3-5 pale gray or bluish-white eggs in an open nest of dried grass two to three times a year. Incubation takes 15 days, and when born, the chicks are ready the leave the nest 2 weeks later. This bird's diet consists mainly of seeds, berries and insects.

[edit] References

• BirdLife International (2004). Junco phaeonotus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern