BLUE-HEADED VIREO
BLUE-HEADED VIREO – (Vireo solitarius) – (See images below)
DESCRIPTION: The Blue-headed Vireo head is actually blue-grey. The back is olive green and the under parts yellowish except for a white belly. It has two whitish wing bars, and a white eye ring. The bill and legs are dark grey. Sexes are similar. This bird is around 13 cm (5 inches) long.
VOICE: https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Vireo-solitarius – Some vocalizations of this vireo are similar to those of the American Robin.
NAME: The name ‘Vireo’ refers to the green color and the species Latin name ‘solitarius’ means ‘solitary’.
HABITAT: Forests.
DIET: Insects, spiders, berries.
NESTING: The nest is usually built near the ground in a tree. About About four white eggs are laid, incubated by both parents, who also both feed the chicks. The nest can be parasitized by the Brown-headed Cowbird in some areas. The blue-headed vireo is known to build its nest near raptors that don’t prey on them, possibly as a type of protection.
DISTRIBUTION: The majority of the population breeds in Canada. It is widely distributed through the eastern half of North America. The blue-headed vireo migrates to the south-eastern USA nd Mexico, and Central America.
DISTRIBUTION MAP: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Vireo_solitarius#/media/File:Vireo_solitarius_map.svg
ON PEI: Breeds in Prince Edward Island, common.
CONSERVATION: The population of this species has increased in the last few decades, and it is currently not at risk. However there is a high rate of hatchling mortality due to many predators raiding the nest.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Philadelphia Vireo, White-eyed Vireo
REFERENCES: https://www.borealbirds.org/bird/blue-headed-vireo
https://www.mba-aom.ca/jsp/toc.jsp (Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas)
https://identify.whatbird.com/obj/585/overview/Blue-headed_Vireo.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-headed_vireo
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/blue-headed-vireo
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-headed_Vireo/id
Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas (Blue-headed Vireo)
DESCRIPTION: The Blue-headed Vireo head is actually blue-grey. The back is olive green and the under parts yellowish except for a white belly. It has two whitish wing bars, and a white eye ring. The bill and legs are dark grey. Sexes are similar. This bird is around 13 cm (5 inches) long.
VOICE: https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Vireo-solitarius – Some vocalizations of this vireo are similar to those of the American Robin.
NAME: The name ‘Vireo’ refers to the green color and the species Latin name ‘solitarius’ means ‘solitary’.
HABITAT: Forests.
DIET: Insects, spiders, berries.
NESTING: The nest is usually built near the ground in a tree. About About four white eggs are laid, incubated by both parents, who also both feed the chicks. The nest can be parasitized by the Brown-headed Cowbird in some areas. The blue-headed vireo is known to build its nest near raptors that don’t prey on them, possibly as a type of protection.
DISTRIBUTION: The majority of the population breeds in Canada. It is widely distributed through the eastern half of North America. The blue-headed vireo migrates to the south-eastern USA nd Mexico, and Central America.
DISTRIBUTION MAP: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Vireo_solitarius#/media/File:Vireo_solitarius_map.svg
ON PEI: Breeds in Prince Edward Island, common.
CONSERVATION: The population of this species has increased in the last few decades, and it is currently not at risk. However there is a high rate of hatchling mortality due to many predators raiding the nest.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Philadelphia Vireo, White-eyed Vireo
REFERENCES: https://www.borealbirds.org/bird/blue-headed-vireo
https://www.mba-aom.ca/jsp/toc.jsp (Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas)
https://identify.whatbird.com/obj/585/overview/Blue-headed_Vireo.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-headed_vireo
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/blue-headed-vireo
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-headed_Vireo/id
Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas (Blue-headed Vireo)
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| Blue-headed vireo, by Dominic Sherony |
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| Blue-headed vireo, Feb. 2006 |