Jamaican Vireo

Overview

The Jamaican vireo (Vireo modestus) is a species of bird in the family Vireonidae, endemic to the island of Jamaica. It is a sedentary year-round resident that is considered widespread and common across its range.

Identification

• Approximately 12.5 cm long with a mass of 9 to 10 g, featuring grayish blue legs and a gray iris.
• Plumage is predominantly greenish to grayish olive with a brighter rump, yellowish gray breast, and two yellowish white wing bars.
• Song is rapid and high-pitched, described as clear, slurred whistles or scolding sounds, often transcribed as 'sewi-sewi' or 'wee-weet-weet-wuu'.

Habitat

Found across Jamaica, this species primarily inhabits moist to humid tropical deciduous forests and arid lowland forests, though it tolerates almost any forest type including montane evergreens and secondary forests. It generally avoids mangroves, marshes, and tree plantations, and its elevational range extends from sea level up to 1,500 m or 2,000 m depending on the source.

Diet

The Jamaican vireo feeds on insects and fruits in a ratio of roughly 85% to 15%, foraging in pairs within dense foliage in the forest understory and mid-story. It gleans prey from leaves, twigs, and other vegetation, and occasionally from mid-air, sometimes hanging upside-down while feeding.

Did you know?

The species' nest is an open cup constructed from plant materials and covered with lichens, suspended in a branch fork. Its song is highly variable, with a single phrase potentially repeated for several minutes before changing to a new pattern.