Black-capped Vireo

Overview

Black-capped Vireo: Small vireo, olive-green upperparts, black hood, white spectacles interrupted with black above the eye, white underparts with olive-yellow flanks. Wings are dark with two pale bars. Iris is red-brown to red. It has been listed as an endangered species since 1987.

Range and Habitat

Black-capped Vireo: Breeds from Oklahoma to central Texas. Spends winters in Mexico. Preferred habitats include rangelands with scattered clumps of shrubs separated by open grasslands.

INTERESTING FACTS

Foliage that extends to ground level is the most important requirement for nesting. They will not use sites where many trees are nearing full size.
Studies have revealed that as many as 90 percent of the Black-capped Vireo nests in Texas and Oklahoma had been invaded by cowbirds.
Under such predation, they may fail to reproduce at a rate that can sustain their population.
They have a titmouse-like habit of hanging upside down while foraging among twigs.
A group of vireos are collectively known as a "call" of vireos.

The Black-capped Vireo is a small songbird which averages a body length of 12 cm at maturity. It is native to the United States and Mexico, and likes to nest in bushy areas with trees interspersed. These areas are referred to as “shinnery”, and often include shin oak and sumac trees. Though much is unknown about the species’ winter migratory patterns, it is believed that the Black-capped Vireo travels to the western coast of Mexico during colder months. The Black-capped Vireo has been rated as Vulnerable since 1987, and threats to the species include loss of habitat, human activity, and Brown-headed Cowbird brood parasitism.