Plumbeous Vireo
Vireo plumbeus
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyVireonidae
HabitatPine-oak and juniper woodlands of the interior West
SeasonBreeds in Trans-Pecos mountains; migrant and rare winter visitor elsewhere
LocationDog Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas, Culberson County, Texas
Size4.7-5.9 inches
DietInsects gleaned deliberately from foliage; some berries
ConservationLeast Concern (IUCN)
CameraNikon Z9Lens800mmAperturef/6.3Shutter1/800ISO1800
A Plumbeous Vireo working the high branches, Dog Canyon.
About the Plumbeous Vireo
The Plumbeous Vireo is the gray ghost of the western mountains, a chunky vireo dressed entirely in lead gray and white with bold spectacles around its eyes. It was once lumped with two look-alikes as the Solitary Vireo before being recognized as its own species.
Like most vireos it is a slow, methodical feeder, inspecting each leaf and twig carefully rather than flitting, and it sings a burry, question-and-answer song high in the pines all day long, even in summer heat.
This bird was photographed in Dog Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, working the high branches of the canyon conifers.
Want to see a Plumbeous Vireo in the wild?
Join one of my guided birding tours! Fine art prints of my photos are also available.
Join one of my guided birding tours! Fine art prints of my photos are also available.
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