WHITE-EYED VIREO
WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus) – (See images below)
DESCRIPTION: The White-eyed Vireo adult upper parts are grey-olive with two white wing bars. Underside is white with yellowish flanks. Face is yellow around the eyes, which are white (as name implies). Bill and legs/feet are grey. Sexes are similar. Bird length is about 13 cm (5 inches).
VOICE: https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Vireo-griseus
NAME: English (and Latin genus) name ‘vireo’ means ‘green’. Latin species name ‘griseus’ means ‘grey’.
HABITAT: Forest edges, shrub land.
DIET: Forages for insects in foliage. Also feeds on berries.
NESTING: Nest is placed in lower part of tree or in a shrub. Usually four white eggs are laid, incubated by both parents, who also both feed the nestlings. Nest is parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbird.
DISTRIBUTION: Breeds in east half of USA south of the Great Lakes region except southeast USA. Year-round resident in southeast USA and northwest Mexico. Winters in southeast Mexico and parts of the Caribbean.
Distribution Map: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-eyed_vireo – /media/File:Vireo_griseus_map.svg
ON PEI: Does not breed on Prince Edward Island, sightings listed as ‘accidental’ (in the fall) so far. See note below on bird vagrancy.
CONSERVATION: Population has increased, not at risk.
Vagrancy: In biology this means an animal going way outside its normal range. For birds, this can happen when there are storms and they get blown off course. On other times, the bird simply wanders in a different direction than usual. Here’s an article about vagrancy in birds.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Blue-headed Vireo
REFERENCES: https://www.thespruce.com/white-eyed-vireo-fact-sheet-4002838
https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/white-eyed-vireo (Missouri Department of Conservation
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/white-eyed-vireo
http://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=ABPBW01020 (Montana Field Guide)
https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/forest-birds/white-eyed-vireo.html (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-eyed_Vireo/lifehistory
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/574/overview/White-eyed_Vireo.aspx
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Vireo_griseus/ (University of Michigan)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-eyed_vireo
https://txtbba.tamu.edu/species-accounts/white-eyed-vireo/ (Texas Breeding Bird Atlas)
DESCRIPTION: The White-eyed Vireo adult upper parts are grey-olive with two white wing bars. Underside is white with yellowish flanks. Face is yellow around the eyes, which are white (as name implies). Bill and legs/feet are grey. Sexes are similar. Bird length is about 13 cm (5 inches).
VOICE: https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Vireo-griseus
NAME: English (and Latin genus) name ‘vireo’ means ‘green’. Latin species name ‘griseus’ means ‘grey’.
HABITAT: Forest edges, shrub land.
DIET: Forages for insects in foliage. Also feeds on berries.
NESTING: Nest is placed in lower part of tree or in a shrub. Usually four white eggs are laid, incubated by both parents, who also both feed the nestlings. Nest is parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbird.
DISTRIBUTION: Breeds in east half of USA south of the Great Lakes region except southeast USA. Year-round resident in southeast USA and northwest Mexico. Winters in southeast Mexico and parts of the Caribbean.
Distribution Map: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-eyed_vireo – /media/File:Vireo_griseus_map.svg
ON PEI: Does not breed on Prince Edward Island, sightings listed as ‘accidental’ (in the fall) so far. See note below on bird vagrancy.
CONSERVATION: Population has increased, not at risk.
Vagrancy: In biology this means an animal going way outside its normal range. For birds, this can happen when there are storms and they get blown off course. On other times, the bird simply wanders in a different direction than usual. Here’s an article about vagrancy in birds.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Blue-headed Vireo
REFERENCES: https://www.thespruce.com/white-eyed-vireo-fact-sheet-4002838
https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/white-eyed-vireo (Missouri Department of Conservation
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/white-eyed-vireo
http://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=ABPBW01020 (Montana Field Guide)
https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/birds/forest-birds/white-eyed-vireo.html (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-eyed_Vireo/lifehistory
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/574/overview/White-eyed_Vireo.aspx
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Vireo_griseus/ (University of Michigan)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-eyed_vireo
https://txtbba.tamu.edu/species-accounts/white-eyed-vireo/ (Texas Breeding Bird Atlas)
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| White-eyed vireo, Chuck Homler |
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| White-eyed vireo, Mexico, Alastair Rae |