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Plumbeous Vireo

Vireos SilhouetteVireos
Plumbeous VireoVireo plumbeus
  • ORDER: Passeriformes
  • FAMILY: Vireonidae

Basic Description

The Plumbeous Vireo is matte gray above and white below—it’s the most monochrome of the three species once combined as “Solitary Vireo.” Plumbeous sings a pleasing, burry song as it forages through dry pine forests in the beautiful canyons and mountains of the interior West, Great Basin, and Mexico. During migration and the nonbreeding season, this species often joins mixed-species flocks of woodland birds, especially on its wintering grounds.

More ID Info
Range map for Plumbeous Vireo
Year-roundBreedingMigrationNonbreeding
Range map provided by Birds of the World
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Find This Bird

Plumbeous Vireos are most easily located in spring, when males sing their slow, burry songs steadily through the morning, often from exposed perches in pines. Once the female lays eggs, males sing less frequently. Walk through open ponderosa pine forests to find them. On migration, keep an eye out for them in stream corridors and canyons, which usually attract many other species of migrating birds as well.

Other Names

  • Vireo Plomizo (Spanish)
  • Viréo plombé (French)
  • Cool Facts