John Benson The Red-Eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) is a common bird found in wooded habitats, generally near the middle to upper levels of trees within the foliage. It grows to about 6 inches long, with a wingspan of approximately 10 inches. They typically are solitary birds, and can be seen feeding on insects, larvae, and berries gleaned from trees. They can be distinguished by their "two eyebrows": a white one and a black one above it, with a dark eyeline and a gray cap. It builds its nest of fine grasses, rootlets, paper, grapevine bark, spiderweb, and decorated with lichens. Nests can be found in a horzontal tree or shrub branch 2-60 feet off the ground. Their song consists of short, medium-pitched, whistled phrases with space in between, like "eeyay, oolee, eeyup". |
Last updated: April 14, 2015