Snowbirds are back!

Known as snowbirds in the Cincinnati tri-state area because they usually show up around the 1st snowfall of the season and leave by or shortly after the last snowfall going into Spring. Dark-eyed Juncos are now showing up at feeders and more-likely underneath feeders. Junco's are a small native sparrow (unlike House Sparrows, which are european Old World Weaver Finches) which nest in northern Michigan and Canada. Like the other native sparrows in our yards, Eastern Towhees, Song Sparrows, American Tree Sparrows, White-hroaed Sparrows and Fox Sparrows to name a few, Juncos usually feed on the ground looking for seeds and insects underneath the forest leaf litter. At feeders, all sparrows love white millet, cracked corn and sunflower seeds. This time of year, we broadcast white millet around the brush piles and near ground feeders to make sure these winter beauties have plenty to eat as they make themselves home again on their tropical winter grounds of Cincinnati.