Weekend Birding: Red-eyed Vireo
The Red-eyed Vireo is a summer resident across much of North America and is very common in the Eastern forests. I took this photo back in June while out monitoring birds for the Forest Preserve. Soon they will be migrating back to their winter homes in South America. At only 5-inches long (13cm) this is an amazing journey for such a tiny bird.
During breeding season the Vireo sings from sunrise to sunset. Their cheerful song sounds a bit like a robin and they are usually heard rather than seen. This one was kind enough to pop out of the leaves for a few seconds before flying off to another branch and resuming his song.
The field guides describe the Vireo as a small, drab bird but I think they are rather cute. Their olive coloring is plain but they have a pretty eye stripe and dark red eyes. Unfortunately the red eye is not visible in my photo because of the angle of the lighting.
This is not a bird you’ll find at a backyard feeder but they can occasionally be found in shade trees in residential areas and are plentiful in woodlands and forest preserves.
Saturday Snapshot was originated by Alyce at At Home With Books. For the summer it will be hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy. Visit her blog to see more great photos or add your own.
© 2013 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
Under My Apple Tree 
Wow, I would love to see one of these…and no, they are not drab; their colors are “muted.” They obviously want to be heard but not seen. Thanks for sharing.
Here’s MY SATURDAY SNAPSHOT POST
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They are cheerful, happy little birds and when I hear them it’s a sure sign spring has arrived. They summer in most of North America except the west coast.
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Oh my. You are such an inspiration to me. I want to be a better photographer because of you!
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Thanks! It takes lots of patience with birds.
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I don’t know how you do it, catch them with your lens, I mean. I was out gardening the other day, and the pear tree behind my yard seemed to be a meeting spot for many birds. They simply would not sit still for me. Got nothing.
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You have to set the shutter speed pretty fast if the birds are moving. I use my Canon DSLR with a zoom lens to get good bird shots.
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Nice. I can never get a good shot of birds. Problem with using my phone as my main camera.
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Such a cute bird, and such a fantastic photo!
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Great you managed to catch him! What a lovely photo.
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It’s always great to get a photo of a rarely spotted bird. Thanks for the link to the song. I’ve got birds this week too.
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He’s gorgeous!
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A beautiful photo. The colors are so soothing.
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Such a cutie.
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