Red-eyed Vireo

Vireo olivaceus 
Vireo family (Vireonidae)

Large vireo, 5” long. Greenish-gray back, white underneath, two eyebrows – a white one and a black one above it, gray crown, red eye visible from close range.

Habitat:
Deciduous forest.

Nesting:
Suspends cup-like nest from a slender branch, 10 to 60 feet above the ground. Eggs are white with dark marks. Clutch size – 3 to 5 eggs.

Voice:

Song is a series of distinct phrases with a deliberate pause between each phrase.  Pacing of notes is similar to the Yellow-throated Vireo but notes are quite different.  Red-eyed Vireo notes are more musical and sound like “here-I-am (pause) over-here (pause) where-are-you (pause)”, etc. etc.   Sings continuously and monotonously for many minutes without a break.

Name Origin:

Vireo, Latin, viridos for “green”; olivaceus, Latin for “olive-colored”.

In the Nature Park:
Neotropical migrant. Common in the forests. The Red-eyed Vireo sings almost non-stop during the day throughout the spring and summer – we sometimes refer to its song as “background music”.

Photos: