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
On a cool autumn morning in what used to be a bustling neighborhood, the only sounds came from squawking finches and juncos – not quite a rising phoenix.
—
Cheri Mossburg, CNN Money, 26 Nov. 2025
Hanging bird feeders and suet cakes out in your garden is one way to help out birds that don't fly south in winter, such as cardinals and juncos.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2025
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
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
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Cheri Mossburg, CNN Money, 26 Nov. 2025
Hanging bird feeders and suet cakes out in your garden is one way to help out birds that don't fly south in winter, such as cardinals and juncos.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2025
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
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
Cite this Entry
“Junco.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/junco. Accessed 8 Dec. 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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