34e Subspecies - Dark-eyed Oregon Junco (Junco hyemalis oreganus)
Dark-eyed Oregon Junco (Junco hyemalis oreganus), Mayne Island, BC (May 14, 2016).
The Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), belonging to a genus of small American sparrows, is a very variable species, and its systematics are still not completely untangled. The subspecies placed in five basic groups were formerly considered separate species, but they interbreed extensively in areas of contact.
● Oregon - black ‘hood’ and rusty back; Pacific Coast
● Slate-colored - all grey with white; mostly in the eastern and northern US
● Grey-headed - grey underparts and head, rusty back; southern Rockies
● White-winged - white wing bars & white outer tail feathers; Black Hills of S. Dakota
● Pink-sided - pink flanks, grey head, rust-coloured back; west of the Rockies