Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
Flight call description A high, abrupt "tk" note usually repeated as a rattle-like "ti-dik" or "ti-di-dik". Also gives a high, buzzy "zeee" in short flights.
Fig.1. New Jersey November 17, 1997 (MO).
Perched bird.
Fig.2. Texas December 31, 2001 (WRE).
Bird in short flight.
Similar species Distinctive but compare with Lark Sparrow and Black-throated Blue Warbler.
Behavior Primarily a nocturnal migrant but engages in limited redetermined migration. Gives flight call regularly while perched and in flight during the day, and during nocturnal migration. "Zeee" call has not been documented in nocturnal migration.
Spectrographic description Measured calls (N=6) were 17.2-30.9 (23.3) mS in duration and in the 6.4-11.2 (6.9-10.7) kHz frequency range. The frequency track was deeply V-shaped, typically higher at the end of the call.. Sometimes there was a faint partial second band above the bottom of the "V" and an irregular squiggle at the end of the call.