Fred Sharpe writes

Jim, what specifically do you mean by defending territories?
In the Olympics, juncos often collect hair for nesting for material from
elk wallows.



I say defending territories due to a change in behavior. I have juncos around
all year long. Most of the time they get along fairly peacefully. February
and March I start noticing that they are doing battle with each other and
sometimes with other species like Varied Thrushes. All of a sudden everytime
they fly the white outer tail feathers are being shown off to everybody.
Also they start singing a song that I have always heard around breeding
territories. In California I took a series of evening chemistry courses that
started around 5pm. I got used to hearing the territory song of juncos who
actually nested in that area. So I am assuming that this is territory
behavior by the change in vocalization from the juncos and the change in
behavior.
But as I said I have never seen any signs of actual nesting around my home or
over in Pine Lake County Park right next to my home.

Jim Rosso
Issaquah
206-392-8440