Our backyard has been busy since the snow and cold have come. We are seeing several different kinds of birds, so I thought I would do a series of those birds that we see in our backyard at feeders and in the bush.
The first one is the dark-eyed junco. It is a small sparrow that is dark grey on the top and white on the bottom.
Juncos like to eat seeds from flat platforms and from scratching around on the ground. Often we just see them below the bushes but they are getting much more comfortable at our feeders. Apparently they prefer to spend time on the forest floor and spend up to 65% of their time on the ground.
A nickname for them is “snowbird”. They are usually in flocks of 15 or more. Often you will see a flock on the side of the road and when they take off, you see the white of their bellies. I always thought that’s why they were called “snowbirds” but it seems that it is because they make a sudden appearance around our bird feeding stations in the winter.
They like to hop and scratch to get at the seeds. You often see them scratching with their feet.
Apparently the oldest one that was recorded was at least 11 years old.
When God created the world, He created the environment for the birds and the fish and then in Genesis 1:20 we see that He said, … “Let birds fly above the earth …” and the birds were created. We get to enjoy them. God takes care of them, and He takes care of us.
