Birds of Costa Rica

    PASSERIFORMES: Vireonidae (Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers)  
Genus: Vireo (11 species, 34 worldwide)

Genus Vireo, Vireos, are small 'New World' songbirds around 11-13 cm., similar to Warblers but with a sturdier bill and a more musical song. Some species migrate south. Vireos are in the family Vireonidae, which includes Greenlets.


Black-whiskered Vireo
Black-whiskered Vireo (Vireo altiloquus barbatulus)
Lucaya, Bahamas
  Similar to Red-eyed Vireo, but black malar stripe distinctive.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Compare to Red-eyed Vireo but note malar stripe. Moves north in the summer from northern South America to Florida and the Caribbean, along with the Grey Kingbird and Swallow-tailed Kite.

Yellow-winged Vireo
Yellow-winged Vireo (Vireo carmioli)
Guadalupe, Panama  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)
OtĂșn Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Northern migrant.

Yellow-green Vireo
Yellow-green Vireo (Vireo flavoviridis flavoviridis)
Mastatal, Puriscal, Costa Rica  
   
Photograph by Jorge Obando Gutierrez   © Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved.

Similar to Red-eyed Vireo, but, among other differences, the eye brow is less white and less pronounced. This species migrates from Mexico and Central America to South America.

Warbling Vireo
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)
Bear Paw Ranch Sanctuary, California, United States  
   
Photograph by Tom Benson     Copyright and usage info


White-eyed Vireo
White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus maynardi)
Birch State Park, Florida, United States  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Northern migrant to Mexico and Cuba. Southern races are less yellow.

Brown-capped Vireo
Brown-capped Vireo (Vireo leucophrys mirandae)
Santa Marta Sierra Nevada, Magdalena, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


Red-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)
San Jeronimo, Antioquia, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Northern migrant. Arrives early, and migrates to Central America and the top half of South America. Note red eye. Compare to non-migratory Chivi Vireo, once considered the same species.

Mangrove Vireo
Mangrove Vireo (Vireo pallens pallens)
Bajamar, Puntarenas, Costa Rica  
   
Photograph by Jorge Obando Gutierrez   © Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved.

Mangrove Vireo
Mangrove Vireo (Vireo pallens)
West End, Roatan, Honduras  
   
Photograph by Tom Benson     Copyright and usage info

Races in Mexico are more yellow.

Philadelphia Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)
Ohio, United States  
   
Photograph by Melanie C. Underwood     Copyright and usage info


Blue-headed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius)
Tampa, Florida, United States  
   
Photograph by Melanie C. Underwood     Copyright and usage info



© Tom Friedel - All Rights Reserved, except for images and data otherwise noted.       Colombia       Panama       Ecuador       Costa Rica       Mexico
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