Red-eyed Vireo
The Red-eyed Vireo has been one of the most abundant birds in North America, although its numbers seem to have declined recently, possibly as a result of the destruction of wintering habitat in the neotropics, fragmentation of northern breeding forests or other causes. Its principal habitat, broad-leaved forests, often supports one pair per acre. A persistent singer during the breeding season, the Red-eyed Vireo utters its endless series of short phrases from dawn till dusk, even on the hottest days when other birds are silent and may even sing while grappling with the large insects it captures. The Red-eyed Vireo is a fierce fighter around its nest and can intimidate even the large Pileated Woodpecker. Its horizontal posture and slow movement through the understory of broad-leaved woods make it an easy bird to study.

The Red-eyed Vireo is sparrow-sized, olive green above, whitish below with a narrow white eyebrow bordered above with black. It has a gray crown, red eye (eye is dark in immature) and no wing bars. The Warbling Vireo is similar but lacks the gray crown and black border over the bold white eyebrow. Its song is a series of short, musical, robin-like phrases endlessly repeated like that of the Solitary Vireo but faster and not so musical.

The Red-eyed Vireo consumes insects, gleaned from leaf surfaces in mid to upper tree canopies, for about 85 percent of its diet. It also eats spiders, a few snails, wild fruits and berries. The Red-eyed Vireo builds its nest in deciduous or coniferous trees or shrubs. It suspends this deep cup nest from a horizontal fork of a slender branch, usually in dense foliage 5 to 10 feet above the ground, but sometimes as high as 60 feet.

The Red-eyed Vireo breeds from British Columbia, Ontario and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence south to Oregon, Colorado, the Gulf Coast and Florida and winters in tropics. It prefers broad-leaved forests and shade trees in residential areas.
Red-eyed Vireo Range Map

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