Black-whiskered Vireo
Learn to identify the Black-whiskered Vireo by ear. Master the "chee? chur! whee-up, hurry-up, hear-me?" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.
What the Black-whiskered Vireo sounds like
Musical whistles arrive in a steady, stop-and-start chain, with short phrases circling back again and again.
How to tell it apart
Where you'll hear it
It breeds around the Caribbean, the Yucatán, and in South Florida. Many birds winter in northern South America, while some island populations stay put year-round.
Look for it in leafy tropical woods, coastal hammocks, mangroves, and shady gardens. It loves tall trees and often stays high in the canopy.
Spring and summer are prime time in Florida, when males sing constantly from exposed perches. In fall the song fades, and many birds slip south through dense green canopy.
How to recognize it by sight
This trim little vireo looks calm and tidy until it opens its bill and pours out a fast, scratchy song from the treetops. Olive above and pale below, it wears a crisp white eyebrow, a red eye, and the thin black “whisker” that gives it away.
Similar species
Red-eyed Vireo
Lacks the bold black whisker stripe bordering the throat.
Yellow-green Vireo
Brighter and more yellow overall, especially below.
White-eyed Vireo
Has a pale white eye, not a red one.