Vireo philadelphicus
The Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) is a petite songbird, measuring 11-13 cm (4.3-5.1 in) in length with a wingspan of 19-21 cm (7.5-8.3 in) and weighing 12-15 g (0.4-0.5 oz). Its most distinctive field marks include its subtly yellowish underparts, strongest on the flanks and vent, contrasting with a clean white throat. A pale supercilium (eyebrow) above a dark eye-line gives its face a slightly 'spectacled' appearance, while its back is an unstreaked olive-green and the crown is g...
This vireo primarily inhabits deciduous or mixed boreal forests, often favoring areas with young growth, clearings, or along forest edges, typically at low to mid-elevations.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on caterpillars, beetles, flies, and other small arthropods gleaned from foliage. During fall migration and winter, they supplement their diet with small berries and fruits.
Philadelphia Vireos are diurnal foragers, actively gleaning insects from the foliage of trees and shrubs throughout the day. Their foraging strategy involves deliberate, often upward-oriented searches, frequently hovering briefly to snatch prey from the undersides of leaves or twigs. Males establ...
The Philadelphia Vireo breeds extensively across the southern reaches of the Canadian boreal forest, extending from interior Alaska and British Columbia eastward to Newfoundland. Its breeding range also dips south into the northern United States, including New England, northern Great Lakes states...
Least Concern
- The Philadelphia Vireo was first described by John Cassin in 1842 from a specimen collected near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, giving it its memorable but somewhat misleading common name, as it does not breed there. - Despite its drab appearance, it is one of North America's longest-distance migr...