Bird
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Lives in West Virginia all year and nests here. Found in all 55 counties, across 15 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 55 counties
- Habitats
- 15
At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 55 counties
- Habitats
- 15
- Habitat models
- Summer, Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in West Virginia 15
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
1 of 15
Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.
Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Granite and other acidic rock outcrops
Bare or thin-soil rock on granite, gneiss, sandstone, quartzite and similar acidic rock, including granite flatrocks and domes.
Shady, evergreen forests of eastern or Carolina hemlock, often along rocky mountain streams and in gorges.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Treeless grassy or shrubby summits and ridges in the high mountains.
Sheltered, moist mountain hollows and lower slopes with deep, fertile soil.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Steep, sun-baked slopes of loose shale with sparse oaks and Virginia pine and their own endemic wildflowers. Linked only where the source names shale barrens; calcareous shale stays with the limestone glades.
Cool, evergreen forests of red spruce and Fraser fir on the highest mountains.
Streams, rivers and their banks
Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.
Tree plantations and managed pine
Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.
Other habitats in its models (103)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in West Virginia. Those recorded in West Virginia first, the rest by region.
In West Virginia 1
- North-Central Appalachian Circumneutral Cliff and Talus Summer and winter.
Elsewhere in the South (43)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Winter.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Summer.
- Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
- Central Florida Herbaceous Pondshore Winter.
- Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
- Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
- Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
- Cumberland Sandstone Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Savanna and Wet Prairie Winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Winter.
- Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland Summer and winter.
- Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Winter.
- Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Winter.
- Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland Winter.
- Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Summer and winter.
- Southern Appalachian Granitic Dome Winter.
- Southern Appalachian Low Mountain Pine Forest Summer.
- Southern Appalachian Montane Cliff Summer and winter.
- Southern Appalachian Rocky Summit Summer and winter.
- Southern Interior Calcareous Cliff Winter.
- Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Cliff Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Granite Flatrock Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Summer.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Catahoula Barrens Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Nepheline Syenite Glade Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Flatwoods Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Calcareous Prairie Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Flatwoods Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Calcareous Prairie Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
- Western Great Plains Mesquite Woodland and Shrubland Winter.
Northeast (3)
- Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest Summer.
- Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Winter.
Midwest (11)
- Central Interior Acidic Cliff and Talus Summer and winter.
- Central Interior Calcareous Cliff and Talus Summer and winter.
- Central Mixedgrass Prairie Summer.
- North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Summer.
- North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Summer.
- North-Central Interior Oak Savanna Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Sand and Gravel Tallgrass Prairie Summer.
- North-Central Oak Barrens Summer and winter.
- Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Winter.
Land cover and other classes (45)
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer.
- Arkansas Valley Prairie and Woodland Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems Summer and winter.
- Developed, Low Intensity Winter.
- Developed, Medium Intensity Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Plain Dry Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Prairie and Woodland Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest - Offsite Pine Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer.
- Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow, Prairie, and Marsh Summer and winter.
- Eastern Highland Rim Prairie and Barrens - Dry Modifier Winter.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
- Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Summer and winter.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Annual Grassland Summer and winter.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Summer and winter.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Summer and winter.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Shrub Summer and winter.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Treed Summer.
- Modified/Managed Southern Tall Grassland Winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- Recently Burned Summer and winter.
- Recently Burned Forest Summer and winter.
- Recently Burned Grassland Summer.
- Recently Burned Shrubland Summer and winter.
- Recently Logged Areas Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Summer and winter.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Summer.
Seasons in West Virginia
- Year-round: nests here, in 33 of 55 counties.
- Winter: does not nest here, in 40 of 55 counties.
Food plants
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.
Native plants in these genera 248
- Bushy KnotweedPolygonum ramosissimum subsp. prolificum
- Erect KnotweedPolygonum erectum
- Pleatleaf KnotweedPolygonum tenue
- Tall KnotweedPolygonum ramosissimum
- Rough-fruit AmaranthAmaranthus tuberculatus
- Smooth PigweedAmaranthus hybridus
- Common RagweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
- Giant RagweedAmbrosia trifida
- Appalachian Woodland SedgeCarex austrolucorum
- Awned SedgeCarex atherodes
- Bebb's SedgeCarex bebbii
- Bottlebrush SedgeCarex hystericina
- Carex atlantica subsp. atlanticaCarex atlantica subsp. atlantica
- Carex atlantica subsp. capillaceaCarex atlantica subsp. capillacea
- Carex bromoides subsp. bromoidesCarex bromoides subsp. bromoides
- Carex brunnescens subsp. sphaerostachyaCarex brunnescens subsp. sphaerostachya
- Carex communis var. communisCarex communis var. communis
- Carex scoparia var. scopariaCarex scoparia var. scoparia
- Carex tonsa var. tonsaCarex tonsa var. tonsa
- Cloud SedgeCarex haydenii
- Coupled SedgeCarex laxiculmis var. copulata
- Davis SedgeCarex davisii
- Dioecious SedgeCarex sterilis
- False Summer SedgeCarex × aestivaliformis
Plant genera in its diet records (26)
- Polygonum Seeds. 2 diet records. 4 native plants in West Virginia
- Amaranthus Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in West Virginia
- Ambrosia Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in West Virginia
- Anthemis Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
- Avena Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
- Brassica Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
- Calandrinia Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
- Carex Seeds. 1 diet record. 161 native plants in West Virginia
- Centaurea Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
- Claytonia Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in West Virginia
- Erodium Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
- Geranium Seeds. 1 diet record. 4 native plants in West Virginia
- Lupinus Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in West Virginia
- Madia Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
- Panicum Seeds. 1 diet record. 11 native plants in West Virginia
- Phleum Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
- Portulaca Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
- Rumex Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in West Virginia
- Silene Seeds. 1 diet record. 8 native plants in West Virginia
- Solanum Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in West Virginia
- Sonchus Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
- Spergula Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in West Virginia
- Stellaria Seeds. 1 diet record. 6 native plants in West Virginia
- Toxicodendron Seeds. 1 diet record. 5 native plants in West Virginia
- Trifolium Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in West Virginia
- Viola Seeds. 1 diet record. 31 native plants in West Virginia
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in West Virginia, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.
Dark-eyed Junco uses many habitats in West Virginia; these are its 3 most characteristic.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Birds 97
- Cape May WarblerDendroica tigrina
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Upland SandpiperBartramia longicauda
- Rock PigeonColumba livia
- DickcisselSpiza americana
- DunlinCalidris alpina
- Grasshopper SparrowAmmodramus savannarum
- Hoary RedpollCarduelis hornemanni
- Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- Purple MartinProgne subis
- Ring-necked PheasantPhasianus colchicus
Plants 905
- Pussy WillowSalix discolor
- Crooked-stem AsterSymphyotrichum prenanthoides
- Long Stalk AsterSymphyotrichum dumosum var. dumosum
- Canada LettuceLactuca canadensis
- Annual FleabaneErigeron annuus
- Bushy KnotweedPolygonum ramosissimum subsp. prolificum
- Carey's KnotweedPersicaria careyi
- Carolina Crane's-billGeranium carolinianum
- Common Evening-primroseOenothera biennis
- Cutleaf Evening-primroseOenothera laciniata
- Northern Evening-primroseOenothera parviflora
- Oakes Evening PrimroseOenothera oakesiana
All of roadsides, fields and disturbed ground in West Virginia
Forest edges and thickets
Birds 64
- Hoary RedpollCarduelis hornemanni
- House FinchCarpodacus mexicanus
- Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineus
- Wilson's WarblerWilsonia pusilla
- Field SparrowSpizella pusilla
- Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
- Henslow's SparrowAmmodramus henslowii
- Lark SparrowChondestes grammacus
- Palm WarblerDendroica palmarum
- Ring-necked PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
Plants 204
- Bristly BlackberryRubus setosus
- Rubus invisusRubus invisus
- Tall LarkspurDelphinium exaltatum
- Northeastern BindweedCalystegia sepium subsp. americana
- Canada PlumPrunus nigra
- ChokecherryPrunus virginiana var. virginiana
- Fire CherryPrunus pensylvanica
- Silky DogwoodCornus obliqua
- Giant SunflowerHelianthus giganteus
- Gray DogwoodCornus racemosa
- Buffalo CloverTrifolium reflexum
- Cutleaf GoldenrodSolidago arguta
Mountain balds
Birds 35
- Grasshopper SparrowAmmodramus savannarum
- BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorus
- Horned LarkEremophila alpestris
- KilldeerCharadrius vociferus
- Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineus
- Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos
- Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis
- Snowy OwlBubo scandiacus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Prairie WarblerDendroica discolor
- Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopus
Plants 65
- Mountain Highbush BlueberryVaccinium simulatum
- Mountain AndromedaPieris floribunda
- Atlantic GoldenrodSolidago arguta var. caroliniana
- Smooth BlackberryRubus canadensis
- Southern Mountain CranberryVaccinium erythrocarpum
- Catawba RhododendronRhododendron catawbiense
- Northern Roughleaf GoldenrodSolidago patula
- Cumberland AzaleaRhododendron cumberlandense
- Flame AzaleaRhododendron calendulaceum
- Pale SedgeCarex pallescens
- Heller's Blazing-starLiatris helleri
- Filmy AngelicaAngelica triquinata
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP winter habitat model for Dark-eyed Junco Elevation up to 2,500 m
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)
- Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab) (CC0 1.0), diet records by plant genus