Blue-headed Vireo

Taxobox
name = Blue-headed Vireo
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1


regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Vireonidae
genus = "Vireo"
species = "V. solitarius"
binomial = "Vireo solitarius"
binomial_authority = (Wilson,A, 1810)

The Blue-headed Vireo, "Vireo solitarius", is a small songbird.

Adults are mainly olive on the upperparts with white underparts and yellowish flanks; they have a grey head, dark eyes with white "spectacles" and white wing bars. They have a stout bill and thick blue-grey legs. This bird, along with the Cassin's Vireo and Plumbeous Vireo, were formerly known as the "Solitary Vireo".

Their breeding habitat is open mixed deciduous and coniferous woods in Canada east of the Rockies and the northeastern United States. They make a bulky cup nest suspended from a fork in tree branch. The male helps with incubation and may sing from the nest.

These birds migrate to the southern and southeastern United States south to Central America.

They forage for insects in the upper parts of trees, sometimes flying out to catch them. They also eat some berries, especially in winter.

References

* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

External links

* [http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i6290id.html Blue-headed Vireo - "Vireo solitarius"] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
* [http://www.sdakotabirds.com/species/blue_headed_vireo_info.htm Blue-headed Vireo Information] - South Dakota Birds and Birding
* [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Blue-headed_Vireo.html Blue-headed Vireo Species Information] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
* [http://vireo.acnatsci.org/search.html?VIREO_SESSION_ID=9127c0e786812f2f771137de6667262e&Form=Search&SEARCHBY=Common&KEYWORDS=blue-headed+vireo&showwhat=images&AGE=All&SEX=All&ACT=All&Search=Search&VIEW=All&ORIENTATION=All&RESULTS=24 Blue-headed Vireo photo gallery] VIREO-(with pictures of bulky cup nest)