Diet
What do juncos eat?
Seeds for most of the year; insects in the breeding season.
New World sparrows (Passerellidae)Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis
Spring and summer diet
- Beetles, caterpillars and moths
Fall and winter diet
- Grass and weed seeds
Best feeder foods
- White proso millet
- Hulled sunflower
- Cracked corn
Juncos are 'snowbirds' — they feed on the ground beneath feeders and are a sure sign winter has arrived in the south.
Where juncos need winter food
Regions where juncos are present in the cold months:
AlabamaAlbertaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaQuebecRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Frequently asked
What do juncos eat?
Seeds for most of the year; insects in the breeding season.
What is the best food to feed juncos?
White proso millet, Hulled sunflower, Cracked corn.
What do juncos eat in winter?
Grass and weed seeds.
Sources
- Dark-eyed Junco — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Dark-eyed Junco life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Dark-eyed Junco — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.