Yellow-eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus) [XC498948]
by Richard E. Webster from Reserva de la Chara Pinta (Tufted Jay Preserve), Sinaloa, Mexico (song)
Yellow-eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus) [XC321763]
by Frank Lambert from Arcadia Campground, Pinalenos, Graham County, Arizona, United States (song)
Subspecies
Molecular data indicate close relationship between this genus and Zonotrichia. Recent molecular-genetic studies suggest that genus spread quickly northern from Central America in post-glacial period; although morphological divergence high, molecular divergence not so well marked. On the other hand, the farther southern in Central America, the older is the lineage, and the more distinctly characterized it is molecularly. Present species closely related to Volcano Junco (Junco vulcani), but its northern populations are genetically very close to Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis). Unpublished molecular data suggest that Guadalupe taxon insularis, generally included with latter, may be better placed with present species. Subspecies form four groups, one represented by nominate and palliatus, the other three being single-subspecies groups formed by, respectively, bairdi, fulvescens and alticola. These sometimes treated as four separate species; indeed, Guatemala population (alticola) appears genetically well differentiated from all other taxa in genus, and further work may support its elevation to species rank. Subspecies palliatus intergrades with nominate in central Mexico from Nayarit, Durango, Coahuila and Nuevo León south to Guanajuato.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
palliatus Ridgway, 1885 - Mountains of south-western USA (southern Arizona and extreme south-western New Mexico) and north-western Mexico from north-eastern Sonora, Chihuahua and Coahuila south to northern Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí and north-western Tamaulipas.
phaeonotus Wagler, 1831 - Mountains of central and southern Mexico from Nayarit, Durango, Coahuila and Nuevo León south to Oaxaca and Veracruz.
bairdi Ridgway, 1883 - Cape District of southern Baja California (western Mexico). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Baird's Junco (Junco bairdi).
fulvescens Nelson, 1897 - Mountains of interior of Chiapas, in south-eastern Mexico.
alticola Salvin, 1863 - Mountains of south-eastern Chiapas (Mexico) and western Guatemala.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet