Yellow-eyed Junco
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| Yellow-eyed Junco | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Junco phaeonotus (Wagler, 1831) |
The Yellow-eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus) is a species of junco, small American sparrows. It is the only North American junco with yellow eyes.
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] Systematics
Similar to the situation in the Dark-eyed Junco, this species' systematics are still in need of much research before they can be considered resolved. 4 subspecies groups are usually dstinguished. These are, north to south:
- Mexican Junco, Junco phaeonotus phaeonotus group[verification needed]
- High mountains of Mexico, southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.
- Baird's Junco, Junco phaeonotus bairdi group[verification needed]
- High mountains of Baja California Sur
- Chiapas Junco, Junco phaeonotus fulvescens group[verification needed]
- High mountains of Chiapas, southeast Mexico.
- Guatemala Junco, Junco phaeonotus alticola group[verification needed]
[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
