Blue-headed Vireo

Vireo solitarius

Also known as:Solitary Vireo

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

13-15 cm (5-6") Fairly common throughout North America in coniferous and mixed forests.

Bold white spectacles; bold light wing bars. Plumage varies across range. Eastern birds have a gray or bluish-gray head contrasting with a greenish-olive back and pure white throat; yellowish sides. Western birds are more gray above and white below.

Moves slowly and deliberately mostly in tree tops.

Was called Solitary Vireo.

Song: slurred whistled robin-like phrases.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

3 photos

Credit: Larry Bond

Credit: Jerry Oldenettel

Credit: Laura Gooch

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Nesting Blue-headed Vireo

Credit: Bruce deGraaf

Blue-headed Vireo 1

Credit: Jorge de Leon

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Blue-Headed Vireo

2 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 4

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Hooked · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Poking or probing pine cones · Feeding at flowers · Foraging by hanging upside down · Foraging rapidly · Foraging slowly and deliberately · Chasing and harassing other birds in flight
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall

result:774-blue-headed-vireo:1:1 Source: 774 Blue-Headed Vireo, row 1

Rule 2 16 criteria confidence 1

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Hooked · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Poking or probing pine cones · Feeding at flowers · Foraging by hanging upside down · Foraging rapidly · Foraging slowly and deliberately · Chasing and harassing other birds in flight
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:774-blue-headed-vireo:2:1 Source: 774 Blue-Headed Vireo, row 2