Dark-eyed Junco

Well well well aren’t you a special one?

This is clearly a Junco, but not the kind we get around here. The species ranges over most of North America and shows tremendous variety in outfits, the “Oregon” subspecies being most common around here with its black head and chest and brown body…

And while this one’s deep black head says “Oregon”, that red-brown patch on its back and overall grey body say “Red-backed” (found in the southwestern US, so saith Google).

It seems it’s got a little bit of brown on its belly too, so I’m calling it: an Oregon / Red-backed intergrade. Whatever its genetics, it is super pretty, and I’m grateful to it for gracing my neighbourhood with its presence!