When do juncos leave West Virginia?

Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave West Virginia: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early April, but some are still reported in every week, about 2.7% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see juncos in West Virginia?

The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in mid January, on about 36% of West Virginia checklists.

Dark-eyed Junco · Junco hyemalis

When Do Juncos Arrive in West Virginia?

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

Dark-eyed Juncos are in West Virginia all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from early November, peak in mid January (36% of checklists), and fall back by early April. In the quietest week (late August) they are still on about 2.7% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildNov 1-7early November

PeakJan 15-21mid January

Fall back byApr 1-7early April

FewestAug 22-31late August

Best: mid January. Here all year; numbers build from early November and fall back by early April. Peak: on about 36% of West Virginia checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Mayuncommon
Jununcommon
Juluncommon
Augrare
Seprare
Octcommon
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

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

Juncos in West Virginia, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Dark-eyed Junco	Nov 1-7	Nov 1-7	Jan 15-21	Apr 1-7	36%

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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia

Best counties for Dark-eyed Junco

Share of checklists at the peak

Marshall CountyBest late November · 14 checklists that week, 895 in all84%
Ritchie CountyBest late January · 122 checklists that week, 3,552 in all74%
Randolph CountyBest the second week of January · 107 checklists that week, 6,495 in all66%
Hampshire CountyBest late February · 19 checklists that week, 1,678 in all61%
Morgan CountyBest early February · 13 checklists that week, 1,968 in all61%
Jefferson CountyBest late January · 394 checklists that week, 18,557 in all60%

Common questions

When do juncos arrive in West Virginia?: Dark-eyed Juncos are in West Virginia all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from early November, peak in mid January (36% of checklists), and fall back by early April. In the quietest week (late August) they are still on about 2.7% of checklists.
When do juncos leave West Virginia?: Dark-eyed Juncos never fully leave West Virginia: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by early April, but some are still reported in every week, about 2.7% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see juncos in West Virginia?: The Dark-eyed Junco is reported most often in mid January, on about 36% of West Virginia checklists.