Species: Vireo gilvus
Warbling Vireo
Species
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Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Vireonidae
Genus
Vireo
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
Vireo Gorjeador - viréo mélodieux
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Perching Birds
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Passeriformes - Vireonidae - Vireo - Recent studies indicate that western North America populations may be specifically distinct from those in eastern and central North America (AOU 1998); they differ morphologically, vocally, and genetically, with close approach and probable parapatry or sympatry in north-central Alberta; Sibley and Monroe (1990) treated these as separate species, V. GILVUS (eastern warbling vireo) and V. SWAINSONII (western warbling vireo). Relationships between V. GILVUS and V. LEUCOPHRYS remain uncertain; considered conspecific by some authors, they constitute a superspecies (AOU 1998). See Johnson et al. (1988) for evidence that LEUCOPHRYS is specifically distinct from GILVUS. See Johnson et al. (1988) and Murray et al. (1994) for analyses of the phylogenetic relationships among vireos.
Ecology and Life History
Migration
false - false - true - Migrates to U.S. nesting range April-May (Terres 1980).
Non-migrant
false
Locally Migrant
false
Food Comments
Insectivorous. Feeds on caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, ants, etc. Also eats spiders and some berries. Forages in trees.
Reproduction Comments
Male and female, in turn, incubate 4, sometimes 3-5, eggs for about 12 days. Altricial young are tended by both parents, leave the nest in about 12-14 days.
Ecology Comments
Density figures of 13.4 birds/40 ha have been recorded in flatland aspen; 60.0/40 ha in scrub-meadow; 5 pairs/40 ha in Douglas fir forest (Bureau of Land Management, no date). Nests often parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds, suffering up to 80% parasitism in some areas; this high rate, combined with the fact that parasitized nests typically produce no vireo young, can create sink populations, even in areas where vireos are common (Ward and Smith 2000).
Length
14
Weight
12
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-12-03
Global Status Last Changed
1996-12-03
Other Status
LC - Least concern
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
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Global Range
BREEDS: British Columbia, southern Mackenzie, central Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, western Ontario, northern Minnesota, northern Michigan, southern Ontario, southern Quebec, southern Maine, southeastern New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, south to Baja California, northern Mexico, Texas, southern Louisiana, northern Alabama, western North Carolina, and southeastern Virginia. WINTERS: northern Mexico to Nicaragua, casually to Costa Rica (Stiles and Skutch 1989). GILVUS: breeds from southwestern Alberta, central Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba east across extreme southern Canada to New Brunswick, and south to southeastern Texas, southern Louisiana (formerly), central Mississippi, northern Alabama, southeastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and Virginia, west to southeastern Montana, northern and eastern North Dakota, eastern South Dakota, eastern Nebraska, Kansas, and southeastern Colorado; winters in Mexico and northern Central America south to northeastern Costa Rica (Sibley and Monroe 1990). SWAINSONI: breeds from southeastern Alaska, northern British Columbia, west-central and southwestern Mackenzie, western and northern Alberta, central Wyoming, southwestern South Dakota, and western Nebraska south to southern California, southern Nevada, central and southeastern Arizona, mountains of Mexico (to Mexico, Morelos, central Oaxaca), southern New Mexico, wetsern Texas, and Colorado (except southeast), and southern Baja California; winters in Mexico and northern Central America south to El Salvador (Sibley and Monroe 1990).

