Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored form)

A classic tail feather from the Dark-eyed Junco, easily recognized by its sharp contrast of dark slate-gray and stark white. Juncos are charming, ground-dwelling sparrows known for flashing their white outer tail feathers when they fly.

Striking bicolored pattern with clean white on the outer half/tip and dark slate-gray on the inner half and base, characteristic of the slate-colored junco tail pattern

Pennaceous vane with tightly interlocked barbs and barbicels along the main body, grading into clean white sections without afterfeather

Smooth, matte surface with good rigidity for steering during flight, typical of passerine tail feathers

Distinctive half-white, half-slate-gray coloration pattern restricted to the outer tail feathers

Coniferous and mixed forests, woodland edges, brushy areas, and suburban gardens during migration and winter

Breeds across northern and mountainous North America, wintering widely throughout the United States and Mexico

Important consumer of weed seeds and insects during the winter months, serving as a key prey base for small forest raptors

Other sparrow species with white in the tail, though few show such a clean, extensive solid white block directly contrasting with slate-gray

Dark-eyed Juncos are among the most abundant forest birds in North America and often nicknamed 'snowbirds' because they appear in lower elevations and yards just as winter weather arrives

Good condition, clean margins with minimal wear, likely a fresh molt from the annual late-summer cycle