The most brightly colored vireo in North America, the yellow-throated vireo is also a sweet singer but can be difficult to see because of its shy behavior and preference to stay in treetops.

Common Name:

Yellow-Throated Vireo

Scientific Name:

Vireo flavifrons

Scientific Family:

Vireonidae

Appearance:

• Bill: Thick and heavy, black, slight hook at the tip
• Size: 5.5 inches long with 9-10-inch wingspan, large head, relatively short tail

• Colors: White, olive-green, yellow, black, gray, brown-black
• Markings: Genders are similar with black eyes set off by bright yellow "spectacles" – yellow eye rings attached by yellow lores contrasting with a dark line connecting the bill and eyes. The head and back are olive-green, while the chin, throat and breast are bright yellow. The brown-black or grayish wings have two white wing bars and white edging on the primary feathers, though the wings may appear more plain when the bird's plumage is worn. The lower abdomen and undertail coverts are white. The rump is gray or olive-green, and the tail is darker gray-black or brown-black. The legs and feet are gray.
  
  Juveniles have similar markings to adults but show more brown on the upperparts and paler yellow on the underparts.
  
  Species is monotypic.

Foods:

Insects, fruit, berries (See: Insectivorous)

Habitat and Migration:

Yellow-throated vireos prefer mature deciduous woodlands and riparian areas. During the summer breeding season, these birds are found throughout the eastern United States from the Atlantic coast as far west as the eastern parts of North Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, though they are missing from the southernmost part of Florida.

These birds rarely venture further north into Canada, but are common in southernmost Ontario.

In winter, these neotropical migrants head to forested regions stretching from southern Mexico to northern parts of Colombia and Venezuela. They are also found in Cuba and the West Indies during winter, and some birds will overwinter in southern Florida.

These vireos are regularly reported as vagrants further west of their expected range, and very rarely are found as accidental migrants to Europe.

Vocalizations:

These passerines may seem unobtrusive, but their sweet "churring" song is lovely to hear with its dual syllables and slow, deliberate pacing. The pitch can alternate between parts of the song. Common calls include a rapid, raspy buzz when these vireos are agitated as well as a harsh chattering.

Behavior:

Yellow-throated vireos are typically solitary or found in pairs, though they may join loose mixed flocks for foraging or migration after the breeding season ends. While foraging, they tend to stay high in the trees and will glean insects from foliage, working in one small area for a long period before moving on to the next area. These birds can be skittish and difficult to see, but recognizing their behavior can help with identification.

Reproduction:

These are monogamous birds that mate after a male impresses a female by beginning to build her a nest while singing and bowing to her. After mating, both parents complete the construction of the long cup-shaped nest using grass and lichen, lining the cup with spider silk or bits of bark. The nest is positioned in a deciduous tree 3-60 feet above the ground.

The oval-shaped eggs are white or faint pink with a few scattered dark spots near the larger end. There are 3-5 eggs per brood, and only one brood is raised each year. Both parents share incubation duties for 14 days, then continue to feed and care for their altricial chicks for an additional 14 days after hatching.

Yellow-throated vireos will occasionally hybridize with blue-headed vireos where the two species' ranges overlap, but they are also common hosts to brown-headed cowbird eggs. When these brood parasites lay an unwanted egg in a yellow-throated vireo nest, the vireos will occasionally cover their own nest along with the cowbird egg in order to produce more eggs without interference.

Attracting Yellow-Throated Vireos:

While these birds are not common backyard visitors, they can be tempted with mature deciduous trees and minimal insecticide use. Offering mealworms at backyard feeders might provide a snack for these vireos, and they will occasionally stop for a drink at a bird bath.

Conservation:

While yellow-throated vireos are not threatened or endangered, they can be susceptible to toxins from excessive insecticide sprays on shade trees, particularly in suburban areas. Overuse of pesticides can also reduce their food supplies, limiting breeding success. Habitat loss is another concern, as these birds prefer large, unbroken tracts of forest for nesting and are less likely to breed successfully in areas with only scattered or fragmented habitat.

Similar Birds:

• Blue-Headed Vireo (Vireo solitaries)
• Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii)
• Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)
• Yellow-Breasted Chat (Icteria virens)
• Yellow-Throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica)
• Grace's Warbler (Dendroica graciae)

Photo – Yellow-Throated Vireo © Ed Schneider