When do juncos leave Alaska?

Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave Alaska: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid July, but some are still reported in every week, about 13% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see juncos in Alaska?

The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 33% of Alaska checklists.

Dark-eyed Junco · Junco hyemalis

When Do Juncos Arrive in Alaska?

Photo: Jimmy Dee, CC BY-SA 4.0 via iNaturalist

Dark-eyed Juncos are in Alaska all year, but most are here in summer: numbers build from late April, peak in the second week of May (33% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (mid February) they are still on about 13% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildApr 22-30late April

PeakMay 8-14the second week of May

Fall back byJul 15-21mid July

FewestFeb 15-21mid February

Best: the second week of May. Here all year; numbers build from late April and fall back by mid July. Peak: on about 33% of Alaska checklists.

Jancommon
Febcommon
Marcommon
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Seppeak season
Octcommon
Novcommon
Deccommon

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Juncos in Alaska, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Dark-eyed Junco	Apr 22-30	Apr 22-30	May 8-14	Jul 15-21	33%

Dark-eyed Junco

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Alaska that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Alaska

Best counties for Dark-eyed Junco

Share of checklists at the peak

Ketchikan Gateway BoroughBest early April · 84 checklists that week, 4,641 in all67%
Fairbanks North Star BoroughBest late August · 801 checklists that week, 23,771 in all61%
Southeast Fairbanks Census AreaBest the second week of May · 66 checklists that week, 3,009 in all58%
Dillingham Census AreaBest late May · 70 checklists that week, 1,426 in all56%
Denali BoroughBest early May · 59 checklists that week, 6,287 in all55%
Matanuska-Susitna BoroughBest the second week of May · 808 checklists that week, 23,028 in all53%

Common questions

When do juncos arrive in Alaska?: Dark-eyed Juncos are in Alaska all year, but most are here in summer: numbers build from late April, peak in the second week of May (33% of checklists), and fall back by mid July. In the quietest week (mid February) they are still on about 13% of checklists.
When do juncos leave Alaska?: Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave Alaska: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid July, but some are still reported in every week, about 13% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see juncos in Alaska?: The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of May, on about 33% of Alaska checklists.