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Definition of dark-eyed junco
dark-eyed junco
Plural:dark-eyed juncos
dark-eyed junco Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
7
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
North American A highly variable, small North American sparrow (Junco hyemalis) typically characterized by a dark gray or brownish hood, a white belly, and distinctive white outer tail feathers that flash during flight.
Example
"After the first winter storm, a large flock of dark-eyed juncos gathered beneath the bird feeder to forage for fallen seeds."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The word 'junco' derives from the Spanish 'junco' (meaning 'reed' or 'rush'), ultimately from the Latin 'iuncus'. The descriptive 'dark-eyed' distinguishes this specific species (Junco hyemalis) from other juncos, noting the dark plumage that typically forms a hood over the head and eyes.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dark-eyed junco. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dark-eyed junco