Green Shrike-Vireo

Overview

The green shrike-vireo (Vireolanius pulchellus) is a bird species belonging to the family Vireonidae. It is found throughout Mexico and every Central American country, where it is assessed as a species of Least Concern.

Identification

• A bulky bird and a large member of its family, measuring 12 to 15 cm in length and weighing 22 to 30 g.
• Features a cerulean blue crown and nape with some green in the centre, bright green upperparts, and yellow chin and throat.
• Underparts are mostly light yellowish green, deeper on the flanks, with greenish yellow undertail coverts.
• Song described as a repeated "peter-peter-peter" or "peer-peer-peer", with variations such as "peeta-peeta-peeta" in Costa Rica.
• Call described as a raspy "djehr-djehr-djehr".

Habitat

Inhabits the interior and edges of humid evergreen and semi-deciduous forest in the tropical and lower subtropical zones. It is found from sea level to 1,800 m in Mexico and northern Central America, and to 1,200 m in Costa Rica.

Diet

Feeds mostly on large arthropods including caterpillars, with fruit and seeds also included in its diet. It forages mostly in the forest canopy or just below it, but will feed lower at the forest edge, usually singly or in pairs and often joining mixed-species feeding flocks.

Did you know?

Nothing else is known about the species' breeding biology except that a female was observed in May building a cup nest from moss.