Changing season; Wisconsin's Snowbirds return

MILWAUKEE - The Dark-eyed Junco sometimes called snowbirds have returned to southeast Wisconsin. While many species of songbird head south for winter, this species thinks of Wisconsin as a southern location. 

Juncos spend their summers breeding across much of Canada. They return to much of the United States in the fall and will stay until spring. You'll often find this species browsing for insects and seeds on the ground and can be a common visitor to your bird feeder. 

Dark-eyed Junco photo courtesy of David Franzen in Vilas County. Sightings in Milwaukee County are becoming quite regular as well. 

While not as colorful as warblers and other migratory birds this hardy species does have some unique qualities. In the wild, they're easy to recognize with white tail feathers usually fluttering away if you approach. A high-pitched chirp as they fly and browse is another identification marker. 

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Especially come January and February during our coldest weather they can handle extreme temperatures just fine by puffing up their body. This increases the amount of air that they can trap and allows body heat to better insulate themselves from cold. 

Dark-eyed Junco photo courtesy of David Franzen in Vilas County