Forest and Rangeland Birds of the United States
Natural History and Habitat Use
Solitary Vireo -- Vireo solitarius
RANGE: Breeds from central British Columbia east through central Canada
to northern Ontario and Newfoundland, southwest of and through the Rockies to
southern California and west Texas, south through Mexico to Honduras, and east
of the Rockies to North Dakota, Illinois, and Massachusetts; in the Appalachian
and Piedmont regions to eastern Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North
Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. Winters from southern California, central Texas,
the northern portions of the Gulf States and North Carolina south to Costa Rica.
STATUS: Common.
HABITAT: Usually inhabits coniferous or coniferous-deciduous forests,
especially spruce and tamarack swamps in parts of its range. Seems to prefer
open mixed forests with considerable undergrowth.
NEST: Builds a deep cup nest that is suspended from the fork of a horizontal
branch, generally 3 to 20 feet above the ground, often about midway in a small
conifer, but occasionally in a small deciduous tree or shrub.
FOOD: Gleans most food from twigs and foliage but occasionally hawks
for flying insects. Mostly eats insects, plus a few spiders and small fruits.
REFERENCES: DeGraff et al. 1980, Forbush and May 1955, Harrison 1975,
Johnsgard 1979, Petersen in Farrand 1983c, Terres 1980.
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