Photograph By Ralph Ritcey photo The junco is one of the most recognizable of our winter birds as well as being the most abundant member of the sparrow family to be found in B.C. There are two races of juncos to be found in our province, the Oregon junco, the one illustrated, and the slate-coloured junco, which nests in the northeast part of the province and across the forested northern parts of the continent to the Atlantic. The gray head, back, and breast with white belly are the best distinguishing marks for the slate-coloured junco. Continent-wide breeding bird surveys data indicate that B.C. has some of the highest populations of Oregon juncos to be found in North America.