junco
noun
jun·co
ˈjəŋ-(ˌ)kō 
plural juncos or juncoes
: any of a genus (Junco of the family Passerellidae) of small widely distributed North American finches usually having a pink bill, ashy gray head and back, and conspicuous white lateral tail feathers
Examples of junco in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Many ground-feeding birds enjoy white millet, including the juncos that travel south in fall and winter.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
Similarly, Black-eyed Susans ()—including Goldsturm—develop rich seed heads that support birds such as juncos, sparrows and towhees.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Species include the fox sparrow, the American tree sparrow and the dark-eyed junco.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2025
Some common species span from the dark-eyed junco to the red-winged blackbird to the great blue heron, while fortunate visitors might catch a glimpse of a bald eagle soaring high above the river in search of fish.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Goldfinches, house finches, juncos, and chickadees particularly love aster seeds.
—Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Aug. 2024
Among the likely birds in Sacramento: house finch, mourning dove, crow, cedar waxwing, scrub jay, mockingbird, sparrow, goldfinch, junco and woodpecker.
—Debbie Arrington, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024
Even the most common birds, say the dark-eyed junco with its flashing white tail and sharp trilling, were nowhere to be found.
—Christopher Ketcham, Harper's Magazine, 1 Nov. 2023
Moreover, when researchers forced a grayish sparrow called a junco (which has some of the lowest fledgling survival rates among the species studied) to stay in the nest for 13 days instead of 10, more lived to adulthood.
—Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, 20 June 2018
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Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
Similarly, Black-eyed Susans ()—including Goldsturm—develop rich seed heads that support birds such as juncos, sparrows and towhees.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Species include the fox sparrow, the American tree sparrow and the dark-eyed junco.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2025
Some common species span from the dark-eyed junco to the red-winged blackbird to the great blue heron, while fortunate visitors might catch a glimpse of a bald eagle soaring high above the river in search of fish.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Goldfinches, house finches, juncos, and chickadees particularly love aster seeds.
—Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Aug. 2024
Among the likely birds in Sacramento: house finch, mourning dove, crow, cedar waxwing, scrub jay, mockingbird, sparrow, goldfinch, junco and woodpecker.
—Debbie Arrington, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024
Even the most common birds, say the dark-eyed junco with its flashing white tail and sharp trilling, were nowhere to be found.
—Christopher Ketcham, Harper's Magazine, 1 Nov. 2023
Moreover, when researchers forced a grayish sparrow called a junco (which has some of the lowest fledgling survival rates among the species studied) to stay in the nest for 13 days instead of 10, more lived to adulthood.
—Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, 20 June 2018
Cite this Entry
“Junco.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/junco. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
junco
noun
jun·co
ˈjəŋ-kō
plural juncos or juncoes
: any of a genus of small North American finches usually with a pink bill, ashy gray head and back, and white tail feathers
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