WhenToBird

Dark-eyed Junco · Junco hyemalis

When Do Juncos Arrive in Maine?

Adult male Dark-eyed Junco
Photo: Jimmy Dee, CC BY-SA 4.0 via iNaturalist

Dark-eyed Juncos are in Maine all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of October, peak in early November (27% of checklists), and fall back by mid April. In the quietest week (late August) they are still on about 5.6% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildOct 8-14the second week of October
PeakNov 1-7early November
Fall back byApr 15-21mid April
FewestAug 22-31late August

Best: early November. Here all year; numbers build from the second week of October and fall back by mid April. Peak: on about 27% of Maine checklists.

  1. Janpeak season
  2. Febpeak season
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Mayuncommon
  6. Jununcommon
  7. Juluncommon
  8. Auguncommon
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octpeak season
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Decpeak season

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

Juncos in Maine, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Dark-eyed JuncoOct 8-14Oct 8-14Nov 1-7Apr 15-2127%
0%10%20%30%Dark-eyed JuncoJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • 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 Maine 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 Maine

Best counties for Dark-eyed Junco

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Piscataquis CountyBest late October · 126 checklists that week, 14,837 in all46%
  2. Sagadahoc CountyBest late October · 300 checklists that week, 21,736 in all43%
  3. Androscoggin CountyBest the second week of December · 154 checklists that week, 16,955 in all41%
  4. Franklin CountyBest early April · 146 checklists that week, 14,182 in all38%
  5. Washington CountyBest early April · 342 checklists that week, 35,967 in all38%
  6. Lincoln CountyBest early November · 635 checklists that week, 59,429 in all38%

Common questions

When do juncos arrive in Maine?
Dark-eyed Juncos are in Maine all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of October, peak in early November (27% of checklists), and fall back by mid April. In the quietest week (late August) they are still on about 5.6% of checklists.
When do juncos leave Maine?
Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave Maine: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid April, but some are still reported in every week, about 5.6% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see juncos in Maine?
The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in early November, on about 27% of Maine checklists.