Date: 12/14/25 12:25 pm From: Mark Holmgren via groups.io <maholmgren33...> Subject: Re: [sbcobirding] Nojoqui Park - Junco mystery
This matches my understanding of a cismontanus Junco (=Cassiar Junco).
Perhaps a female, but I'm not sure about gender dimorphism in cismontanus.
From Birds of the World:
*J. h. cismontanus* Dwight, Dwight 1918b
<https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/daejun/cur/references#REF33021>;
type locality “east of Rocky Mountains” (restricted to Sumas, lower Fraser
Valley, British Columbia). Breeds s.-central Yukon Territory south through
interior British Columbia east of Coast Ranges east to w.-central Alberta.
Winter range poorly defined but reported to be from s.-coastal British
Columbia south to n. Baja California (rarely), Arizona, New Mexico, east to
Minnesota, and south to central Texas; casual eastward, perhaps as far as
Atlantic Coast; browner or buffier than *J. h. hyemalis*, and many records
in East probably pertain to brownish variants of *J. h. hyemalis* (which
are also often confused with *oreganus *group in the East). Subspecies
renamed *J. h. henshawi* by Phillips (Phillips 1961a
<https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/daejun/cur/references#REF56030>),
who felt type, being from west of breeding range (winter bird from sw.
British Columbia), inapplicable to this subspecies (*cismontanus* is
applicable; but see Paynter 1970b
<https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/daejun/cur/references#REF8919>,
Browning
1990
<https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/daejun/cur/references#REF55769>).
Mark Holmgren
San Marcos Pass
On Sun, Dec 14, 2025 at 10:14 AM Peter Schneekloth via groups.io
<peterschneekloth...> wrote:
> Anyone have thoughts on this possible "Cassiar" Junco? Obviously hooded
> but otherwise dark overall. One shot shows it with a more normally plumaged
> Oregon Dark-eyed so the difference becomes obvious.
>
> Junco possible Cassiar 2 | peterschneekloth | Flickr
> <https://www.flickr.com/photos/55934026@N05/54984024313/in/dateposted-public/> >
> Peter Schneekloth
> Buellton
>
>
>
