Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 4.7–5.1 in
12–13 cm - Wingspan
- 9.1–9.8 in
23–25 cm - Weight
- 0.4–0.9 oz
12–26 g
Other Names
- Viréo aux yeux rouges (French)
- Vireo ojirrojo norteño, Vireo ojo rojo (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- Although animal food makes up 85 percent of its summer diet, the Red-eyed Vireo may be completely frugivorous (fruit-eating) during the winter.
- The Red-eyed Vireo is a common host to the Brown-headed Cowbird, which lays its eggs in the vireo's nest.
- Red-eyed Vireos living year-round in South America may be a separate species.
Habitat
Forest
- Breeds in deciduous and mixed deciduous forests.
- More abundant in forest interior.
- Lives in urban areas and parks with large trees.
Food
Insects
Insects, especially caterpillars, and small fruits.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Egg Description
- Dull white speckled with reddish brown.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless with eyes closed.
Nest Description
Open cup suspended from a forked tree branch. Made of twigs, bark strips, grasses, pine needles, and lichen held together with spider web. Inner lining of grasses, plant fibers, and hair.
Nest Placement
Tree
Behavior
Foliage Gleaner
Searches for prey while moving along branches, flies to new areas to search. Kills larger prey by crushing or beating it against branch. Holds food with foot while eating.
Conservation
Least Concern
Abundant and widespread, increasing in many areas.
Credits
- Cimprich, D. A., F. R. Moore, and M. P. Guilfoyle. 2000. Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus). In The Birds of North America, No. 527 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.