Photo by Phil Swanson

Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii)

 Listen to Bell's Vireo

Description

Sexes similar. Small, nondescript. Olive-gray above; light underparts with pale buffy yellow sides; indistinct white spectacles; and two faint whitish wing bars, with the lower bar being more prominent. Short wings make tail look long.

Nebraska Habitat

Found in thickets near streams or rivers, in second-growth scrub, forest edges, and brush patches.

Behavior

Gleans from leaves, twigs, and branches. Sometimes hovers while feeding.

Where to see it

Common spring and fall migrant and summer resident in eastern Nebraska. Becomes rarer westwardly. Breeds locally to the west along major river valleys.

Status

NatureServe G5 (secure globally), S4 (apparently secure in the state) , NBP Priority Species, NNLP Tier I

Fun Facts

A pair of Bell's Vireos may forage together at times during the breeding season, progressing upward in a spiral, gleaning insects from the vegetation.
The Bell's Vireo has not been observed drinking water. It may be able to obtain all that it needs from its food.
A group of Bell's Vireos are collectively known as a "peal" or a "tintinabulation" of vireos.