Vireo plumbeus

Plumbeous Vireo

Family: Vireonidae · Class: Aves · Order: Passeriformes

The Plumbeous Vireo is a medium-sized songbird measuring 11.5 to 13 cm (4.5 to 5.1 inches) in length with a wingspan of 18 to 20 cm (7.1 to 7.9 inches). Adults typically weigh 10 to 15 grams. The species displays distinctive gray plumage on the head, back, and wings, with a contrasting white throat and belly. Two prominent white wing bars cross the gray wings, and a white eye-ring encircles the dark eye, broken by a dark line through the eye. The bill is thick and slightly hooked at the tip, adapted for gleaning insects from foliage. Males and females appear similar, though males may show slightly more intense coloration during breeding season. The Plumbeous Vireo breeds across western North America from British Columbia south through the western United States to central Mexico. In California, the species breeds primarily in the Sierra Nevada, Cascade Range, and scattered mountain ranges throughout the state, including portions of the Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, and Peninsular Ranges. During winter, California populations migrate south to wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America, with some individuals remaining in southern California and Arizona. This vireo inhabits coniferous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests at elevations ranging from 1,200 to 3,500 meters (3,900 to 11,500 feet). The species shows a preference for open canopy forests dominated by ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, white fir, and incense cedar. It also occupies mixed woodlands containing oak species, particularly in transition zones between coniferous forest and chaparral. Dense undergrowth is typically avoided in favor of areas with scattered shrubs and open forest floor. Plumbeous Vireos are primarily insectivorous, employing a gleaning foraging strategy to capture insects, spiders, and other arthropods from branches, twigs, and leaves. Their diet consists mainly of caterpillars, beetles, aphids, and flies, supplemented with small fruits during late summer and fall migration. Breeding occurs from May through July, with pairs constructing cup-shaped nests suspended from forked branches typically 2 to 6 meters above ground. Females lay 3 to 5 white eggs spotted with brown, which are incubated for 12 to 14 days. Both parents feed nestlings, which fledge after 12 to 15 days. The Plumbeous Vireo is not federally or state listed and maintains stable populations across much of its range. According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, populations have shown relatively stable trends over the past several decades, with some regional variations. The species benefits from mature forest habitats but may be vulnerable to large-scale forest management practices that reduce canopy cover. Climate change poses potential long-term threats through shifts in suitable habitat elevation and timing of insect emergence relative to breeding cycles.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, and more.