When do juncos leave Connecticut?

Most Dark-eyed Juncos have left Connecticut by the second week of April, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until late April.

When is the best time to see juncos in Connecticut?

The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of December, on about 46% of Connecticut checklists.

Dark-eyed Junco · Junco hyemalis

When Do Juncos Arrive in Connecticut?

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

Dark-eyed Juncos are winter birds in Connecticut: the first arrive in late September, they are common by mid October, peak in the second week of December (46% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of April.

When to look

First arrivalsSep 22-30late September

Common byOct 15-21mid October

PeakDec 8-14the second week of December

Most gone byApr 8-14the second week of April

Best: the second week of December. First arrivals late September; most are gone by the second week of April. Peak: on about 46% of Connecticut checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprcommon
Mayrare
Junnot usually seen
Julnot usually seen
Augnot usually seen
Seprare
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Juncos in Connecticut, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Dark-eyed Junco	Sep 22-30	Oct 15-21	Dec 8-14	Apr 8-14	46%

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 Connecticut 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 Connecticut

Best counties for Dark-eyed Junco

Share of checklists at the peak

Litchfield CountyBest the second week of February · 1278 checklists that week, 69,766 in all66%
Windham CountyBest mid November · 254 checklists that week, 19,034 in all65%
Tolland CountyBest the second week of February · 694 checklists that week, 39,004 in all60%
Hartford CountyBest the second week of February · 2045 checklists that week, 105,735 in all50%
Middlesex CountyBest late November · 828 checklists that week, 39,919 in all50%
New London CountyBest late November · 1437 checklists that week, 65,205 in all45%

Common questions

When do juncos arrive in Connecticut?: Dark-eyed Juncos are winter birds in Connecticut: the first arrive in late September, they are common by mid October, peak in the second week of December (46% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of April.
When do juncos leave Connecticut?: Most Dark-eyed Juncos have left Connecticut by the second week of April, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until late April.
When is the best time to see juncos in Connecticut?: The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of December, on about 46% of Connecticut checklists.