Plumbeous Vireo

Vireo plumbeus

The Plumbeous, Blue-headed, and the Cassin's Vireo were all considered one species, the Solitary Vireo, until the 1990's.  The Plumbeous is the component of the three that summers in the mountain forests of the inland West.  It is much less colorful than the other two, appearing lead-gray in all but the freshest of fall plumage, when just a touch of yellow may be visible. 

Habitat: Found in pine and pine-oak forests of the mountain West, sometimes at elevations approaching 10,000 feet.

Diet: Primarily feeds on insects and spiders.  They will also consume fruits and berries, especially during the winter months.

Behavior: Climbs through foliage and branches in search of insects, usually relatively high in the forest canopy.  Will also occasionally fly out from a perch to snag flying insects in mid-air.

Nesting: Late May through July

Breeding Map: Breeding map available is for "Solitary Vireo", the former combined name for the Cassin's, Blue-headed, and Plumbeous Vireos.  Note that the Plumbeous is the only one of the three that is considered to nest in South Dakota, so the breeding map for the Solitary Vireo effectively defines the South Dakota breeding range for the Plumbeous.

Song: Varied song with deliberate pauses, often repeating.

Migration: Summers throughout pine and oak forests of the mountain West.  Winters in the extreme southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central America. 

Similar Species: Cassin's Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Gray Vireo

Conservation Status: They are quite frequent hosts to cowbird parasitism, but populations are considered stable.

Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Plumbeous Vireo

2) Cornell University's "All About Birds - Plumbeous Vireo"

3) eNature.com: Plumbeous Vireo

Photo Information: Photo courtesy of Larry Burlingame.