Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Dark-eyed Junco in all of Ohio- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Genus
- Junco
Conservation status
Of special interest in Ohio (Ohio Division of Wildlife, June 2026)
Ohio's Division of Wildlife names it as one at the edge of its range in Ohio, breeding here at low numbers. It is not listed as endangered or threatened.
Range
Where it is recorded
Season shown in 4 of Ohio's 88 counties. Its mapped range covers 88. Explore Ohio
- No result yet (0)
- Within its mapped range (19)
- Recorded, too few records for a result (53)
- Recorded, season not shown (12)
- Season shown (4)
Counties as a table
| County | Records | In mapped range |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Allen County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Ashland County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Ashtabula County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round, winter |
| Athens County | 20 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Auglaize County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Belmont County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Brown County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Butler County | 30 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Carroll County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Champaign County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Clark County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Clermont County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Clinton County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Columbiana County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Coshocton County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Crawford County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Cuyahoga County | 350 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Darke County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Defiance County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Delaware County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Erie County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Fairfield County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Fayette County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Franklin County | 129 · Season shown | Yes: winter |
| Fulton County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Gallia County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Geauga County | 30 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: year-round, winter |
| Greene County | 27 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Guernsey County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Hamilton County | 90 · Season shown | Yes: winter |
| Hancock County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Hardin County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Harrison County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Henry County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Highland County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Hocking County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Holmes County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Huron County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Jackson County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Jefferson County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Knox County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Lake County | 50 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Lawrence County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Licking County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Logan County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Lorain County | 33 · Season shown | Yes: winter |
| Lucas County | 52 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Madison County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Mahoning County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Marion County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Medina County | 96 · Season shown | Yes: winter |
| Meigs County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Mercer County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Miami County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Monroe County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Montgomery County | 66 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Morgan County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Morrow County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Muskingum County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Noble County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Ottawa County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Paulding County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Perry County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Pickaway County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Pike County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Portage County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round, winter |
| Preble County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Putnam County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Richland County | 24 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Ross County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Sandusky County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Scioto County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Seneca County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Shelby County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Stark County | 45 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Summit County | 166 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Trumbull County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round, winter |
| Tuscarawas County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Union County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Van Wert County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Vinton County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Warren County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Washington County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Wayne County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Williams County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Wood County | 27 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Wyandot County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
Season
When it is recorded
In Lorain County
Mid-November to late March, middle week Jan 18–24
Records per week from 33 records in 8 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not how common it is. The grey bars show how many records of all species were made here each week, so you can see when recording itself was high or low; the season is not adjusted by them.
Recorded on 30 dates. Latest record: December 2025.
Show as a table
| Week | Records of Dark-eyed Junco | Years recorded | Records of all species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4–10 | 2 | 2 | 193 |
| Jan 11–17 | 4 | 2 | 115 |
| Jan 18–24 | 1 | 1 | 75 |
| Jan 25–31 | 1 | 1 | 59 |
| Feb 1–7 | 2 | 2 | 101 |
| Feb 8–14 | 2 | 2 | 99 |
| Feb 15–21 | 1 | 1 | 84 |
| Feb 22–28 | 1 | 1 | 49 |
| Mar 1–7 | 0 | 0 | 114 |
| Mar 8–14 | 0 | 0 | 103 |
| Mar 15–21 | 3 | 3 | 258 |
| Mar 22–28 | 3 | 2 | 139 |
| Mar 29 – Apr 4 | 3 | 3 | 228 |
| Apr 5–11 | 0 | 0 | 376 |
| Apr 12–18 | 0 | 0 | 561 |
| Apr 19–25 | 0 | 0 | 560 |
| Apr 26 – May 2 | 0 | 0 | 1,122 |
| May 3–9 | 0 | 0 | 824 |
| May 10–16 | 0 | 0 | 793 |
| May 17–23 | 0 | 0 | 901 |
| May 24–30 | 0 | 0 | 886 |
| May 31 – Jun 6 | 0 | 0 | 771 |
| Jun 7–13 | 0 | 0 | 797 |
| Jun 14–20 | 0 | 0 | 1,124 |
| Jun 21–27 | 0 | 0 | 954 |
| Jun 28 – Jul 4 | 0 | 0 | 770 |
| Jul 5–11 | 0 | 0 | 973 |
| Jul 12–18 | 0 | 0 | 957 |
| Jul 19–25 | 0 | 0 | 1,240 |
| Jul 26 – Aug 1 | 0 | 0 | 912 |
| Aug 2–8 | 0 | 0 | 907 |
| Aug 9–15 | 0 | 0 | 769 |
| Aug 16–22 | 0 | 0 | 768 |
| Aug 23–29 | 0 | 0 | 788 |
| Aug 30 – Sep 5 | 0 | 0 | 959 |
| Sep 6–12 | 0 | 0 | 907 |
| Sep 13–19 | 0 | 0 | 817 |
| Sep 20–26 | 0 | 0 | 745 |
| Sep 27 – Oct 3 | 0 | 0 | 508 |
| Oct 4–10 | 0 | 0 | 597 |
| Oct 11–17 | 0 | 0 | 343 |
| Oct 18–24 | 0 | 0 | 426 |
| Oct 25–31 | 0 | 0 | 297 |
| Nov 1–7 | 1 | 1 | 278 |
| Nov 8–14 | 1 | 1 | 210 |
| Nov 15–21 | 0 | 0 | 121 |
| Nov 22–28 | 2 | 2 | 100 |
| Nov 29 – Dec 5 | 1 | 1 | 118 |
| Dec 6–12 | 0 | 0 | 60 |
| Dec 13–19 | 4 | 3 | 224 |
| Dec 20–26 | 0 | 0 | 187 |
| Dec 27 – Jan 2 | 1 | 0 | 208 |
In Ohio
Late October to late April, middle week Jan 18–24
Records per week from 2,303 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not how common it is. The grey bars show how many records of all species were made here each week, so you can see when recording itself was high or low; the season is not adjusted by them.
Recorded on 1,117 dates. Latest record: December 2025.
Show as a table
| Week | Records of Dark-eyed Junco | Years recorded | Records of all species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4–10 | 117 | 10 | 6,211 |
| Jan 11–17 | 115 | 9 | 5,146 |
| Jan 18–24 | 113 | 9 | 4,645 |
| Jan 25–31 | 84 | 10 | 4,698 |
| Feb 1–7 | 77 | 9 | 6,023 |
| Feb 8–14 | 79 | 10 | 5,888 |
| Feb 15–21 | 96 | 10 | 5,436 |
| Feb 22–28 | 51 | 10 | 6,846 |
| Mar 1–7 | 44 | 9 | 8,321 |
| Mar 8–14 | 61 | 9 | 10,384 |
| Mar 15–21 | 76 | 9 | 12,620 |
| Mar 22–28 | 63 | 9 | 13,949 |
| Mar 29 – Apr 4 | 72 | 8 | 19,661 |
| Apr 5–11 | 99 | 9 | 26,860 |
| Apr 12–18 | 83 | 10 | 39,925 |
| Apr 19–25 | 34 | 7 | 41,623 |
| Apr 26 – May 2 | 26 | 7 | 56,391 |
| May 3–9 | 12 | 8 | 52,952 |
| May 10–16 | 7 | 5 | 53,785 |
| May 17–23 | 10 | 5 | 57,698 |
| May 24–30 | 8 | 5 | 54,651 |
| May 31 – Jun 6 | 10 | 5 | 53,099 |
| Jun 7–13 | 8 | 6 | 53,700 |
| Jun 14–20 | 11 | 6 | 56,625 |
| Jun 21–27 | 3 | 3 | 55,361 |
| Jun 28 – Jul 4 | 9 | 7 | 58,477 |
| Jul 5–11 | 7 | 6 | 61,336 |
| Jul 12–18 | 4 | 2 | 64,722 |
| Jul 19–25 | 5 | 4 | 69,753 |
| Jul 26 – Aug 1 | 0 | 0 | 59,416 |
| Aug 2–8 | 5 | 3 | 59,712 |
| Aug 9–15 | 0 | 0 | 55,994 |
| Aug 16–22 | 2 | 1 | 54,328 |
| Aug 23–29 | 2 | 2 | 51,772 |
| Aug 30 – Sep 5 | 0 | 0 | 57,167 |
| Sep 6–12 | 1 | 1 | 59,075 |
| Sep 13–19 | 2 | 2 | 54,543 |
| Sep 20–26 | 2 | 2 | 45,860 |
| Sep 27 – Oct 3 | 2 | 2 | 43,180 |
| Oct 4–10 | 11 | 6 | 37,841 |
| Oct 11–17 | 31 | 7 | 30,824 |
| Oct 18–24 | 58 | 9 | 21,156 |
| Oct 25–31 | 56 | 9 | 19,021 |
| Nov 1–7 | 66 | 9 | 14,172 |
| Nov 8–14 | 70 | 9 | 12,621 |
| Nov 15–21 | 64 | 8 | 7,965 |
| Nov 22–28 | 71 | 9 | 8,136 |
| Nov 29 – Dec 5 | 73 | 10 | 6,083 |
| Dec 6–12 | 69 | 9 | 6,004 |
| Dec 13–19 | 84 | 10 | 5,423 |
| Dec 20–26 | 92 | 9 | 5,661 |
| Dec 27 – Jan 2 | 158 | 9 | 8,459 |
What these results show
These results show when people recorded a species, not when or where it occurs. Missing weeks and low counts do not mean absence or scarcity, and counts are not abundance. Contributed records reflect where, when and what people chose to observe.
Identification
How to identify it
Often confused with
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus254 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
- American Robin Turdus migratorius129 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
- Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus122 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
- Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis86 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
- Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia81 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
From iNaturalist’s similar-species counts, refreshed monthly: confusions in Ohio first, then worldwide. Only species with an Ohio result are listed.
Land cover where it is recorded
| Land cover | Its recordsAll Ohio records |
|---|---|
| Developed | 65%49% |
| Forest | 28%31% |
| Farmland | 5%11% |
| Wetland | 2%5% |
| Open water | 0.6%3% |
| Grassland and shrub | 0.3%0.9% |
From 1,042 records placed within 100 m, beside all Ohio records placed the same way. People record where they go, so this shows where records come from, not where the species lives. Land cover: USGS Annual NLCD, 2025 (opens in a new tab)
Finer identifications
Some Ohio records of this species were identified to a subspecies:
- Junco hyemalis hyemalisBoreal Slate-colored Juncosubspecies
A few other records were identified to other subspecies.
Every one of these records counts toward the Dark-eyed Junco's season above.
Why some records go further than species
Many species vary from place to place. Groups of a species that look or sound a little different, and live in different areas, can be named as subspecies. Observers and experts only identify a record that far when it shows enough detail to tell them apart. Records without that detail count at the species level.
Names: Catalogue of Life.
Sources
Where these results come from
- Records from iNaturalist research-grade observations and expert-identified GBIF datasets, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC. Sources
- Seasons use the published method and its evidence thresholds. Methods
- See it on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)OpenPhenology is independent and not affiliated with iNaturalist.
Records behind the Lorain County result
33 records from 1 dataset.
- iNaturalist Research-grade Observations (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist.org · 33 recordsiNaturalist contributors, iNaturalist (2026). iNaturalist Research-grade Observations. iNaturalist.org. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/ab3s5x accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-11-13.
To cite: the GBIF download doi:10.15468/dl.y2jkt8 (opens in a new tab).
A spreadsheet (CSV) with a link to each record, on iNaturalist or GBIF. Records whose location was hidden by the observer or the source are counted but not linked.