Cozumel Vireo

Overview

The Cozumel vireo (Vireo bairdi) is a small, Near Threatened bird endemic to the Mexican island of Cozumel. It belongs to the family Vireonidae and is a sedentary, year-round resident of its limited range.

Identification

• Size ranges from 11.5 to 12.5 cm in length, with a weight of approximately 11 to 14.5 g.
• Adults feature a dark chestnut-brown crown and nape, with an off-white patch and wide white eye-ring that resemble spectacles.
• Upperparts are light chestnut-brown, with gray-brown wing coverts showing bold yellowish-white wing bars.
• Song is a high, sharp, rapid rhythmic 'wietweiweit--', and calls include rapid, wren-like scolding sounds.

Habitat

The species is restricted to Cozumel Island, located off the Yucatán Peninsula in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. It inhabits scrubby woodlands, including brushy abandoned fields, young secondary woodland, and thickets within more mature woodlands.

Diet

The specific diet of the Cozumel vireo has not been studied, though it typically forages in low to middle-height vegetation.

Did you know?

Nests are open cups woven to and hanging from parallel branches, constructed from plant fibers, leaves, spider webs, and lichen, and are always situated within two metres of the ground.