When do juncos leave North Dakota?

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

When is the best time to see juncos in North Dakota?

The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in mid October, on about 45% of North Dakota checklists.

Dark-eyed Junco · Junco hyemalis

When Do Juncos Arrive in North Dakota?

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

Dark-eyed Juncos are winter birds in North Dakota: the first arrive in mid September, they are common by late September, peak in mid October (45% of checklists), and most are gone by late April.

When to look

First arrivalsSep 15-21mid September

Common bySep 22-30late September

PeakOct 15-21mid October

Most gone byApr 22-30late April

Best: mid October. First arrivals mid September; most are gone by late April. Peak: on about 45% of North Dakota checklists.

Jancommon
Febcommon
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Mayuncommon
Junnot usually seen
Julnot usually seen
Augnot usually seen
Sepcommon
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Deccommon

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

Juncos in North Dakota, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Dark-eyed Junco	Sep 15-21	Sep 22-30	Oct 15-21	Apr 22-30	45%

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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota

Best counties for Dark-eyed Junco

Share of checklists at the peak

Traill CountyBest early January · 10 checklists that week, 764 in all74%
Ransom CountyBest early November · 13 checklists that week, 1,920 in all73%
Walsh CountyBest early April · 14 checklists that week, 441 in all73%
Bottineau CountyBest the second week of October · 31 checklists that week, 1,949 in all65%
Steele CountyBest the second week of April · 144 checklists that week, 6,291 in all64%
Grant CountyBest mid October · 12 checklists that week, 605 in all63%

Common questions

When do juncos arrive in North Dakota?: Dark-eyed Juncos are winter birds in North Dakota: the first arrive in mid September, they are common by late September, peak in mid October (45% of checklists), and most are gone by late April.
When do juncos leave North Dakota?: Most Dark-eyed Juncos have left North Dakota by late April, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of May.
When is the best time to see juncos in North Dakota?: The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in mid October, on about 45% of North Dakota checklists.