Warbling Vireo - Ross Feldner Although drab in appearance, this tiny bird has one of the most cheerful songs in the forest. Its rapid, boisterous song is a very distinctive feature. There are subtle differences in song between eastern and western birds, and some authorities split the eastern and western races of this species into separate species. The Warbling Vireo’s song has been likened to the complex, ascending flourishes of the piano at the start of Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu. They forage by hopping along tree branches looking for insects and are especially fond of caterpillars. They also eat berries, especially before migration and when wintering. Its cup-shaped nest is suspended from the fork of a thin horizontal branch. The nest is constructed of bark strips, plant fibers and grasses, bound together with spider webs, and lined with finer grasses and hair. Warbling Vireo populations, although stable, decline when their principal food source, caterpillars, is wiped out by widespread pesticide use. They are frequently parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds. | |
