Birds · Passeriformes · Vireonidae

Red-eyed Vireo

Vireo olivaceus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The red-eyed vireo is an unobtrusive olive-green bird of the North American deciduous woodlands, with a marked white eyebrow and a red iris in adults. It is one of the most abundant birds in eastern North America, and its tireless singing throughout the summer day has earned it the nickname of preacher bird.

Weight

12 g – 26 g

Size

12 cm – 13 cm

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

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Fun facts

It is one of the most tireless birds in the world: one male was documented giving more than twenty-two thousand song phrases in a single day, and its habit of singing without pause even in the hottest hours has earned it the nickname of preacher bird.
It is one of the most frequent victims of the brown-headed cowbird, the North American brood parasite, and in some areas more than half the nests contain another bird's eggs.
Despite being extremely abundant, it is a bird almost nobody sees: it sings from the canopy and moves slowly among the leaves, and most records of it are by ear.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Mature deciduous woodland of North America; winters in Amazonia and north-western South America
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 12 days
Litter / clutch size: 3.5 (average)

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/