Black-whiskered Vireo
From WikiBird
Contents |
Size
Length: 14-15cm (??in), Wingspan: 25cm (??in), Weight: 17-19g
Field Marks
Adult: 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 that contrasts with olive-green back and upper wings. There is a dark line through the eyes and a white eyebrow stripe. There is a distinctive black line (the “whiskerâ€) on the neck sides. Thick bill with hooked upper mandible. No wing bars. Sexes similar. Juvenile: similar, but have brown-red eyes and yellower underparts.
Similar species
Similar to the Red-eyed Vireo but is duller and browner above and can be distinguished by its black malar streak. Other vireos also lack the malar streak and have different face patterns.
Sounds
The song is a three-syllable whip, Tom Kelly, more abrupt than that of Red-eyed Vireo.
Feeding & Behavior
Gleans insects from tree foliage, sometimes hovering while foraging. It will also eat small quantities of berries
Habitat & Nesting
Breeding habitat is open deciduous wooded areas and cultivation, and in Florida also mangroves. Builds a cup nest in a fork of a tree branch, and lays 2-3 white eggs.
Range
Breeds in southern Florida, USA, and the West Indies as far south as the offshore islands of Venezuela. It is a partial migrant, with northern birds wintering from the Greater Antilles to northern South America. This species has occurred as a rare vagrant to Costa Rica.
Resources
