Red-eyed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Vireo olivaceus
(Vireonidae)

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6.0 inches long. The Red-eyed Vireo is a large vireo with a red eye and a thick hooked bill and no wing bars. The gray crown contrasts with the olive-green back and upper wings. The face has a bold white eyebrow bordered above by a dark line and below by a dark eyeline. The underparts are white with a yellowish cast to the flanks and undertail in fresh plumage.

 

The Red-eyed Vireo is a common breeding bird in the Forest that arrives by late April and may stay until early October.

 

The Red-eyed Vireo is one of the most common songbirds breeding in the woodlands of eastern North America. It usually forages in the forest canopy moving deliberately. It mostly feeds on insects during the breeding season. During the non-breeding season, fruit is an important part of the diet. It is more often heard than seen. The song is performed persistently throughout the day. The song is a monotonous series simple whistled phrases “here I am, in the tree, look up, at the top”.

 

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