Red-eyed vireo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red-eyed Vireo |
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| In Wisconsin, North America | |
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| Genus: |
Vireo
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| Species: |
olivaceus
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The red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus) is a small songbird found in the Americas. It's known for its bright red eyes. This bird is very common across its large home range. The IUCN says it is not in danger.
The name "Vireo" comes from a Latin word. It means a green bird that migrates. The word olivaceus is also Latin. It means olive-green, like the color of an olive.
What Does It Look Like?
Adult red-eyed vireos are mostly olive-green on their backs. Their bellies are white. They have bright red eyes. Their heads are grey with black edges. A dark line goes through their eyes. Above this line is a wide white stripe.
They have thick blue-grey legs. Their beaks are strong. Some birds have a faint yellowish color on their sides. This color is also seen under their tails.
Scientists used to think some other vireos were the same species. These included the yellow-green vireo and the chivi vireo. But now they are seen as different types of birds.
Measurements:
- Length: About 4.7 to 5.1 inches (12–13 cm)
- Weight: About 0.4 to 0.9 ounces (12-26 g)
- Wingspan: About 9.1 to 9.8 inches (23–25 cm)
Its Amazing Song
Red-eyed vireos are some of the best singers in the bird world. They often sing high up in trees. They can sing for a very long time. They have a special "question-and-answer" singing style.
This bird holds a record for singing the most songs in one day. One vireo sang over 20,000 songs in a single day!
Their songs usually have 1 to 5 short sounds. These sounds are often 0.8 to 1 second apart. Red-eyed vireos have many different songs. One study found a bird that could sing 73 different types of songs!
Where Does It Live and What Does It Eat?
Red-eyed vireos build their nests in open wooded areas. They live across Canada and the eastern and northwestern United States. When winter comes, these birds migrate south. They fly all the way to South America for the winter.
In Latin America, they live in almost any wooded area. Most of these birds stay there all year. But some populations in the far south migrate north. They can fly as far as Central America.
This vireo is often seen in western Europe. It's a rare visitor there. Most sightings are in Ireland and Great Britain.
Red-eyed vireos find insects on tree leaves. They especially like caterpillars and aphids. Sometimes they hover in the air while looking for food. In warm, tropical places, they often join other bird groups. They move through the trees higher up than most birds in these groups.
They also eat berries, especially before they migrate. In their winter homes, they eat fruits from trees like tamanqueiro or gumbo-limbo. These fruits can even bring them to parks and gardens. They often reach for fruit in acrobatic ways. They might even hang upside down!
Their nest is shaped like a cup. It is built in the fork of a tree branch. Sometimes, other birds lay their eggs in the vireo's nest. This is called nest parasitism. The brown-headed cowbird does this in the north. The shiny cowbird does it further south.
See also
In Spanish: Vireo ojirrojo para niños
