Nesting Juncos have been on the rise for the past 20 years in Lake Geauga,
Portage, Summit and Cuyahoga counties.  Look at the OBBA results for the
original atlas versus today. The question is why is this confined to these
counties? and why have they not spread to the unglaciated counties of the
Ohio Allegheny plateau?  I think it is quality of habitat/geography and
climate.  We have seen major maturation of forests in this area over the
past 50 years, without too much forest fragmentation as subdivisons don't
get built where there are ravines and valleys. Plus our climate is very
different along the lake than in the more southerly parts of the state.

In the last edition of Birds of the Cleveland Region I think the status of
nesting Junco was changed to: common in appropriate habitat.  But status
has not kept up with reality on a state wide level.

I've been interested in nesting Juncos for more than a decade and it is my
observation that they nest with the right combination of conditions.  These
include nearby: high quality running water, healthy forest ecosystem, and
elevation change.  It also helps if there are foraging areas that have a
thick herbaceous layer.

Birds do habituate.  That is their behavior changes based upon leaning.
 Changes in behavior do not have to pass through the needle's eye of
genetic mutation and evolutionary adaptation.  Juncos have learned how to
make a living year round in our area, and I certainly enjoy having them.

Haans
Kirtland


On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 9:38 PM, maryann sedivy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> There is a Dark-eyed Junco nesting in a hanging basket on my front porch.
>  I think we were equally startled when I watered the flowers the other day.
> This is interesting.  It seems in the past few years that more Juncos are
> year round residents. It used to be that they could be found in cool
> woodland ravines in our area; places like Stebbins Gulch in Lake County or
> the West Woods in Geauga County.  Yet I've noticed them for about the past
> 5  years or more year round on my property--which isn't entirely typical
> habitat for a junco-although there are woods nearby. This year is the first
> time to have the actual nest right at my door!  A friend told my that her
> neighbor also has Juncos nesting in a flower basket on the porch.
> What's going on with the Juncos?  Anybody else have them nesting?
>
> Mary Ann Sedivy
> Newbury
> Geauga County
>
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