About Junco bairdi Ridgway, 1883
Baird's junco (Junco bairdi) is an approximately average-sized New World sparrow. On average, males are larger than females. Most individuals measure around 15 centimetres (5.9 in) in length and weigh roughly 18 grams (0.63 oz). Among all members of the genus Junco, this species has the shortest wings at 69 millimetres (2.7 in) and the shortest tails at 62 millimetres (2.4 in), a trait likely linked to its sedentary, non-migratory lifestyle. Baird's junco is limited to the higher elevations of the Sierra de la Laguna in Baja California Sur, Mexico, where it nests in pine-oak forests. It is largely restricted to higher elevations above 1,500 metres (4,900 ft), where suitable habitat exists. However, non-breeding individuals may wander to lower elevations. Older sources considered the species common above 910 metres (3,000 ft), while more recent sources document records as low as 700 metres (2,300 ft). These low-elevation observations are attributed to non-breeding individuals, and no significant pattern of elevational migration has been recorded.
