Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Backyard Birding => Topic started by: cairnstone on January 14, 2016, 05:49:03 PM

Title: Cassiar Junco
Post by: cairnstone on January 14, 2016, 05:49:03 PM

For the second consecutive winter I have a Cassiar Junco. This one has not been as regular as the one last winter, but he does pop up from time to time since the past weekend. I took some photos which are good for ID. I'll post a photo of him when I get him in good light. I had my first January Brown Creeper in the yard yesterday as well. I also have a Northern Short-tailed Shrew, but wonder how long it will last with predators around.

Title: Re: Cassiar Junco
Post by: cairnstone on January 14, 2016, 07:25:42 PM

In near darkness. Should be able to get a better photo of him.

(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/23206811/medium)

Title: Re: Cassiar Junco
Post by: cairnstone on January 18, 2016, 10:55:17 AM

(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/23344031/large)

Title: Re: Cassiar Junco
Post by: Axeman on January 29, 2016, 10:55:15 AM

Is the distinction the brown on the back and lighter body ? I have seen similar birds mixed in with the slate juncos at my feeder from time to time and just thought it was one of those variations you find....

Title: Re: Cassiar Junco
Post by: cairnstone on January 30, 2016, 02:10:13 PM

I am no expert on the subject, but I am led to believe it's the sharp contrast between the dark black hood (in males) and the lighter body. I don't think the amount of brown tells much since some Slate-coloured Juncos have a fair bit of brown. I have read that Cassiar Juncos are a result of hybridization between Oregon and Slate-coloured. Here's a short video of a Cassiar Junco in my backyard last year. This one has little or no brown on it but the black hood and the rest of the body sharply contrast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9AiUOeJJ_E (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9AiUOeJJ_E)

Title: Re: Cassiar Junco
Post by: Axeman on January 31, 2016, 12:41:09 PM

Thanks ! lol don't laugh but I don't usually pay a lot of attention to the juncos at the feeders bc the jays, cardinals and nuthatches capture my interest more....I just found the juncos...kind of umm...ho humm....but now I guess I'm going to spend more time on them !

Title: Re: Cassiar Junco
Post by: cairnstone on February 01, 2016, 10:03:17 AM

I have a female junco here now and she is very reddish-brown. I am pretty sure she is a Slate-coloured. Females come in many shades from my experience. Males that are different however, they seem to stick out like a sore thumb differentiating them from run-of-the-mill male Slate-coloured Juncos.

Title: Re: Cassiar Junco
Post by: cairnstone on March 27, 2016, 11:11:41 PM

Another Cassiar Junco. Oddly enough I have been to Cassiar (a ghost town now) but never saw a Junco.

(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/26259251/large)