Eastern Warbling Vireo Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  Eastern Warbling Vireos are small, chunky songbirds with thick, straight, slightly hooked bills. They are medium-sized for vireos, with a fairly round head and medium-length bill and tail.

  Relative Size

  Slightly larger than a Black-capped Chickadee; smaller than a House Finch.

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 4.7-5.1 in (12-13 cm)
    • Weight: 0.4-0.6 oz (12-16 g)

  © Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Eastern Warbling Vireos are grayish above and whitish below, washed on the sides and vent with yellow. They have a dark line through the eye and a white line over the eye. The lores (the area between the eye and bill) are white in most individuals. Typically, the brightest plumage on Eastern Warbling Vireos is on the vent or flanks. Worn midsummer birds can be nearly entirely gray above and whitish below.

• Behavior

  Eastern Warbling Vireos forage sluggishly, intently peering at leaf surfaces from a single perch before pouncing or moving on. They eat mostly caterpillars. They give their loud, rollicking, finchlike song frequently on summer territories.

• Habitat

  Deciduous woodlands are the favored habitat of Eastern Warbling Vireos throughout the year, though they also use some mixed deciduous-coniferous woodlands. Even on migration they typically occur in areas with taller trees.