When do juncos leave Delaware?

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

When is the best time to see juncos in Delaware?

The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of December, on about 37% of Delaware checklists.

Dark-eyed Junco · Junco hyemalis

When Do Juncos Arrive in Delaware?

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

Dark-eyed Juncos are winter birds in Delaware: the first arrive in the second week of October, they are common by late October, peak in the second week of December (37% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of April.

When to look

First arrivalsOct 8-14the second week of October

Common byOct 22-31late 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 the second week of October; most are gone by the second week of April. Peak: on about 37% of Delaware checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprcommon
Maynot usually seen
Junnot usually seen
Julnot usually seen
Augnot usually seen
Sepnot usually seen
Octcommon
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Juncos in Delaware, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Dark-eyed Junco	Oct 8-14	Oct 22-31	Dec 8-14	Apr 8-14	37%

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 Delaware 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 Delaware

Best counties for Dark-eyed Junco

Share of checklists at the peak

New Castle CountyBest the second week of December · 914 checklists that week, 72,140 in all52%
Sussex CountyBest early December · 1148 checklists that week, 91,027 in all31%
Kent CountyBest the second week of November · 730 checklists that week, 36,693 in all23%

Common questions

When do juncos arrive in Delaware?: Dark-eyed Juncos are winter birds in Delaware: the first arrive in the second week of October, they are common by late October, peak in the second week of December (37% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of April.
When do juncos leave Delaware?: Most Dark-eyed Juncos have left Delaware by the second week of April, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until mid April.
When is the best time to see juncos in Delaware?: The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of December, on about 37% of Delaware checklists.