Black-whiskered Vireo
Vireo altiloquus
Large vireo, nearly identical in plumage to Red-eyed Vireo but slightly duller and browner. Drab olive-greenish above and white below with gray cap, white eyebrow, and brown eye. Telltale black whisker mark often difficult to see, but is diagnostic. Hooked bill is rather long for a vireo. Primarily a Caribbean species; exact extent of wintering range in South America is poorly known. Limited range in U.S.; breeds in scrubby mangrove forests in Florida. Can be difficult to spot in dense foliage, but listen for song: repeated two- or three-parted chirping phrases that are vaguely reminiscent of a more musical House Sparrow.
Identification
This vireo is 14–15 cm in length, has a 25 cm wingspan and weighs 17–19 g. It has thick blue-grey legs and a stout bill.<p>The adult black-whiskered vireo has dull olive-green upperparts and white underparts, with yellowish on the flanks and under the tail. It has red eyes and a grey-brown crown with faint dusky edges. There is a dark line through the eyes and a white eyebrow stripe. There is a distinctive black line (the "whisker") on the neck sides. Juvenile birds are similar, but have brown-red eyes.<p>This species is similar to red-eyed vireo, but is duller and browner above, and is best distinguished by the black whisker mark. The song is a three-syllable whip, Tom Kelly, more abrupt than that of red-eyed vireo.<p>The Florida race V. a. barbatulus is shorter-billed by 15% than the northern Caribbean subspecies V. a. bonairensis. The latter form has occurred in the US as a vagrant to Florida and Louisiana.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Vireo altiloquus
- Authority
- (Vieillot, 1808)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Vireonidae
- Genus
- Vireo
Range and habitat
The breeding habitat is open deciduous wooded areas and cultivation, and in Florida also mangroves. The black-whiskered vireo builds a cup nest in a fork of a tree branch, and lays 2-3 white eggs.
- Breeding range
- NA : se USA and West Indies
- Non-breeding range
- SA
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Pale-throated Greenbul
Atimastillas flavigula
Fairly large, long-tailed, olive-green greenbul. The cleanly defined throat is yellow in most of the range, and white in the north. Found in forest, thick woodland, scrub, and rank cultivation. Rather shy and skulking species that is normally in pairs or small groups. Quite vocal; the call is a rapid, up-and-down barking. Similar to bearded greenbuls, but slimmer and without a reddish tail. The white-throated birds are also similar to Simple Greenbul, but lack white crescents above and below the eye.
White-faced Nunbird
Hapaloptila castanea
Rare and elusive denizen of Andean cloud forest; found at higher elevations than any other puffbird. Distinctive; note especially the stout, black bill bordered by white feathers, chestnut underparts, and red eye. Found inside forest, often near exposed earthen banks, which they favor as nesting sites. Remains motionless for extended periods before suddenly sallying out to catch an insect or other small animal. Typical song is a series of evenly spaced, mellow whistles that can be imitated.
Purple Finch
Haemorhous purpureus
Males suffused with raspberry red, especially on head and breast. Compared to House Finch, males lack distinct streaks on sides and are overall more colorful, especially on back and wings. Females and first-year males have contrasty head pattern with pale eyebrow and darker cheek; also note well-defined streaks on sides. Breed in coniferous or mixed forests. Winters in a wider variety of habitats with trees. Visits feeders.
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