When do juncos leave New Mexico?

Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave New Mexico: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late March, but some are still reported in every week, about 6.1% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see juncos in New Mexico?

The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in late December, on about 50% of New Mexico checklists.

Dark-eyed Junco · Junco hyemalis

When Do Juncos Arrive in New Mexico?

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

Dark-eyed Juncos are in New Mexico all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of October, peak in late December (50% of checklists), and fall back by late March. In the quietest week (mid May) they are still on about 6.1% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildOct 8-14the second week of October

PeakDec 22-31late December

Fall back byMar 22-31late March

FewestMay 15-21mid May

Best: late December. Here all year; numbers build from the second week of October and fall back by late March. Peak: on about 50% of New Mexico checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprcommon
Mayuncommon
Jununcommon
Juluncommon
Augrare
Sepuncommon
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Juncos in New Mexico, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Dark-eyed Junco	Oct 8-14	Oct 8-14	Dec 22-31	Mar 22-31	50%

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 New Mexico 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 New Mexico

Best counties for Dark-eyed Junco

Share of checklists at the peak

Cibola CountyBest late February · 56 checklists that week, 3,986 in all85%
Los Alamos CountyBest the second week of November · 842 checklists that week, 50,554 in all82%
Catron CountyBest the second week of January · 58 checklists that week, 6,114 in all79%
Santa Fe CountyBest the second week of December · 1063 checklists that week, 66,241 in all70%
Grant CountyBest the second week of November · 224 checklists that week, 16,662 in all68%
Lincoln CountyBest the second week of February · 39 checklists that week, 4,676 in all66%

Common questions

When do juncos arrive in New Mexico?: Dark-eyed Juncos are in New Mexico all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from the second week of October, peak in late December (50% of checklists), and fall back by late March. In the quietest week (mid May) they are still on about 6.1% of checklists.
When do juncos leave New Mexico?: Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave New Mexico: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by late March, but some are still reported in every week, about 6.1% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see juncos in New Mexico?: The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in late December, on about 50% of New Mexico checklists.