When do juncos leave Idaho?

Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave Idaho: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late March, but some are still reported in every week, about 7.9% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see juncos in Idaho?

The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of December, on about 48% of Idaho checklists.

Dark-eyed Junco · Junco hyemalis

When Do Juncos Arrive in Idaho?

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

Dark-eyed Juncos are in Idaho all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of October, peak in the second week of December (48% of checklists), and fall back by late March. In the quietest week (late August) they are still on about 7.9% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildOct 8-14the second week of October

PeakDec 8-14the second week of December

Fall back byMar 22-31late March

FewestAug 22-31late August

Best: the second week of December. Here all year; numbers build from the second week of October and fall back by late March. Peak: on about 48% of Idaho checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprcommon
Mayuncommon
Jununcommon
Juluncommon
Auguncommon
Sepcommon
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Juncos in Idaho, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Dark-eyed Junco	Oct 8-14	Oct 8-14	Dec 8-14	Mar 22-31	48%

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 Idaho 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 Idaho

Best counties for Dark-eyed Junco

Share of checklists at the peak

Adams CountyBest early March · 94 checklists that week, 5,826 in all93%
Shoshone CountyBest late March · 59 checklists that week, 2,886 in all66%
Idaho CountyBest the second week of December · 11 checklists that week, 3,961 in all65%
Ada CountyBest late November · 1861 checklists that week, 84,430 in all63%
Gem CountyBest late December · 179 checklists that week, 8,320 in all63%
Bear Lake CountyBest mid February · 10 checklists that week, 1,581 in all60%

Common questions

When do juncos arrive in Idaho?: Dark-eyed Juncos are in Idaho all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of October, peak in the second week of December (48% of checklists), and fall back by late March. In the quietest week (late August) they are still on about 7.9% of checklists.
When do juncos leave Idaho?: Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave Idaho: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late March, but some are still reported in every week, about 7.9% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see juncos in Idaho?: The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in the second week of December, on about 48% of Idaho checklists.