5.5 inches long. The Warbling Vireo is a small, drab bird with no wing bars and a brown eye. It has a thick bill with a hooked upper mandible. It has a gray to olive gray head, back, wings and tail. The underparts are white. The face is plain with an indistinct white eyebrow, grayish eyeline behind the eye, and pale lores. There may be a pale yellow wash to the belly or flanks. The legs are blue-gray.
The Warbling Vireo is a common breeding bird in the Forest that arrives by mid April and stays until early October.
The Warbling Vireo is found in deciduous forests, particularly along streams and rivers. It has the largest breeding range of any North American Vireo. It is adapted to humans and nests have been found in urban locations. It forages for food high in the tree. Its movements are rather slow and deliberate as it searches for insects and caterpillars. Its population in the Midwest and east seems to be stable. The song is a rapid run-on warble that usually ends with a higher note. The cadence of the song is, “I’ll seize you and I’ll squeeze you and I’ll squeeze you ‘til you squirt”.
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