Washington Vireos

Washington Vireos- Notes from Spring Class 2011

Most Vireos are CBS, some are CAS, most medium distance migrants, the red-eyed group are long distance migrants.  One WA vireo is a resident – Hutton’s vireo.

Cassin’s Vireo:  4-10 à 10-1  (general dates) like dry open conifer and open forests, mixed forest on W side, migrate thru a vaiety of habitats, found in local and dispersed areas, uncommon W WA, riparian mixed forest and in black cottonwood or maple on W Wide, E side dry conifer forests.  NE Olympic peninsula, San Juans, and Pierce Co.  Spectacles.  We only have 4 vireos.  So first on seeing a vireo see if there are wing bars.  2 with (Hutton’s and Cassin’s) and 2 without (Red-eyed and Warbling)  Like all vireos bill has a little hook on the bill, thicker bill than warblers.

Red-eyed Vireo:  No wing bars, long distance migrants, dark line thru the eye, white eye stripe, clear breasted, locally fairly common to common breeder in NE WA and E WA, absent Columbia basin, medium elevation, riparian, esp black cottonwoods, in W WA big leaf maple.  5-15 à 10-1,  many more on the E side.

Warbling Vireo: no wing bars, weak eye stripe, no black thru the eye, deciduous up to sub alpine, 4-15 à 9-20.  Most arrive about May 1st.

Hutton’s vireo:  CBS, resident, 2 wing bars, broken eye ring, no black behind the greater coverts, look big headed compared to RC Kinglet, more deliberate, mostly sing in March and April, sing occasionally.  2 noted song, over and over.  Like edges up to 1500 feet in WA, deciduous and conifers with mixed forest, absent Olympic Peninsula, only 3 E WA records.  Hop deliberately form limb to limb.

White-eyed vireo:  One record on Vashon Island

Yellow-throated Vireo:  one record.

Blue-headed vireo:  2 records (only split 1998)

Philadelphia Vireo:  2 records.

Bell’s vireo:  one record at Skagit fall 2007.