Yellow-throated Vireo

Vireo flavifrons

eBird describes the Yellow-throated Vireo like this:  Stocky, brightly-colored vireo with yellow throat and spectacles. Olive upperparts and gray wings with two bold white wingbars. Breeds in mature deciduous forests in eastern North America, often near water. Usually seen singly, high in the canopy. Typical vireo song of short, repeated phrases; Yellow-throated is burry and slow, like a Blue-headed with a sore throat. Thick, slightly hooked bill helps separate this species from Pine Warbler, which has similar plumage. Winters in Central and northern South America.  All About Birds adds this descriptive information about the Yellow-throated Vireo:  A bird of open deciduous forests and edges, the Yellow-throated Vireo is one of the most colorful member of its family. Not only does this bird have a bright yellow throat, it looks as if it’s wearing bright yellow spectacles. This small heavyset songbird slowly hops through the canopy picking insects off branches and twigs. Males sing a burry three eight, on repeat throughout the day. Females join the males with a harsh scolding chatter during aggressive encounters. 

I encountered my first Yellow-throated Vireo at Boy Scout Woods in High Island on the afternoon of April 19, 22021.  I saw three of these birds at two different locations in the park.  

Yellow-throated Vireo at Boy Scout Woods, April 19, 2021,
Another Yellow-throated Vireo at Boy Scout Woods. Note the dark eye, thick bill and yellow throat. April 19, 2021.
Another shot of a Yellow-throated Vireo at Boy Scout Woods on April 19, 2021.


“Cool Facts” About The Yellow-throated Vireo From All About Birds:

  • While the Yellow-throated Vireo is associated with forest edge habitat, it actually requires large blocks of forest to breed successfully. Numbers decrease sharply in forests smaller than 250 acres (100 hectares) in the northeastern United States.
  • In many North American songbirds, only females incubate and brood, but not vireos. Male Yellow-throated Vireos also incubate eggs and brood young, taking turns with the female throughout the day.