In the Winter 2022 edition of Colorado Birds, there is a report entitled *Occurrence of a Breeding Population of Gray-headed Juncos in Urban Denver, Including a First Confirmed Breeding Record*. In the report, the authors detail the occurrence of a breeding population of juncos at as many as five sites in the Hilltop neighborhood of urban Denver. The breeding confirmations in 2021 follow an increase in reports of late-staying juncos in several Denver neighborhoods in recent years, with several of those reports supporting probable breeding. Dark-eyed Junco colonization of urban habitats has been reported in other cities around the country as well. This is a relatively new phenomenon, and juncos are not the only species demonstrating an ability to adapt to urban habitats.
This summer, the authors of the 2021 report have documented: frequent male singing at three of the sites; singing males at other sites in the neighborhood, including counter-singing at one site; foraging pairs at two sites; nest building at one site; and fledglings/juveniles at two sites. Lynne, what you and others have observed appears to be consistent with what has been reported in Hilltop and other urban Denver neighborhoods. Juncos are moving in. On Friday, July 1, 2022 at 10:09:02 AM UTC-6 [email protected] wrote: > FWIW, last summer I observed a Dark-Eyed Junco nest near downtown Colorado > Springs - a bit higher than metro Denver but still pretty low elevation. > > Diana Beatty > El Paso County > > On Fri, Jul 1, 2022 at 9:16 AM Jared Del Rosso <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Following up, in an indirect way, on Lynne's earlier message about juncos >> -- >> >> This morning, my Centennial yard (western Arapahoe Co., approx . 5,600 >> ft) was visited by an apparent immature Dark-eyed Junco. The looks I had at >> it were not definitive -- but the call, white-edged tail, size, and shape >> seemed satisfactory to me. >> >> Interestingly, in 2019, an eBirder who only goes by their initials, G P, >> reported a Dark-eyed Junco pair in their yard, which is very close to my >> yard, in late-June. Earlier that same year (April), a junco briefly played >> with nesting material in my yard; my dogs, unfortunately, inadvertently ran >> them off. I described this on CO Birds (which is the only reason I know >> when this happened) here: >> https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/6KTdd5sFiIo/m/3irZhTuLBwAJ >> >> This year and last, eBirders east of Cheesman Park in central Denver >> appear to have documented a nesting junco -- there are eBird reports of >> junco activity and a fledgling throughout June. The most recent checklist >> is here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S113745605 >> >> Perhaps a few juncos have followed Cordilleran Flycatchers from the >> higher elevations into the Denver metro area? >> >> Related / unrelated: Does Denver now have a pair of nesting Mississippi >> Kites -- the eBird reports from this and last year seem suggestive? I've >> read that Mississippi Kites nest in urban locations throughout their range, >> but is this a new development for the state? >> >> - Jared Del Rosso >> Centennial, CO >> >> On Friday, June 24, 2022 at 11:18:12 AM UTC-6 [email protected] wrote: >> >>> I live in Littleton, east Jeffco at ~5600', in the middle of suburbia >>> about two Peyton Manning throws from Southwest Plaza Mall. >>> >>> The last two days I've had a juvenile Dark-eyed Junco coming to my yard >>> foraging under the feeders. Do they breed this low down and east? I've >>> always associated them with the foothills. I would think they would have to >>> be breeding near here to see a youngster this early. >>> >>> Lynne Forrester >>> Littleton, East Jeffco >>> >> -- >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en >> * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. >> Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate >> * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Colorado Birds" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/0ec75034-bd0b-438e-ae1c-c71fc4267f2an%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/0ec75034-bd0b-438e-ae1c-c71fc4267f2an%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > > > -- > > ****** > > “I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said > *Gandalf*, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for > them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is > given us.” > > > > -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/e88fc056-6673-4619-b3ee-c2d78b34f32fn%40googlegroups.com.
