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Solitary Vireo

Status Uncommon in summer. Breeds. This vireo is found rather sparsely from early May (average 7 May, earliest 23 April) to mid-October (average 20 October, latest 25 November). In addition, there are well-documented records of individuals seen on the Halifax East Christmas Bird Count of 15 December 1984 (J. and S. Cohrs) and on the Halifax West Count on 23 December of that year (I. McLaren et al.). During summer its distribution is general over the province. This is a bird of mixed woodlands and only occurs in gardens and settled districts briefly during migration.

Description Length: 13-16.5 cm. Adults: Top of head and cheeks bluish gray; throat white; conspicuous white "spectacles"; back olive-green; tail and wings darker, the wings showing two white bars; underparts pure white; sides washed with greenish yellow.

Breeding Nest: Wholly pensile from a small forked branch, usually in a fir or hemlock. It is composed of fine smooth grasses, plant down, bark fibre and other pliable materials neatly woven together and covered exteriorly with bits of white birch bark or sometimes with paper torn from a hornet's nest. The lining is of smooth grasses or sometimes dry pine needles. Of more than 30 nests examined, all but three were in conifers, at heights of 1-6 m. The exceptions were one in an old, moss-grown wild apple tree, one in a small poplar and a nest in a small ash; these three were in close proximity to coniferous growth. Eggs: 3-5, usually 4; white, sparsely speckled with black or dark brown chiefly around the larger end. Nest construction normally begins during the second half of May and continues into early June. An exceptionally early nest was found by Harold F. Tufts on 12 May 1905 at Black River, Kings County, about one-half completed. A typical egg date is 4 June 1905 at Black River, where a nest containing five well-incubated eggs was found.

Range Breeds from southern British Columbia, the southeastern Mackenzie Valley, central Manitoba, southern Quebec and southwestern Newfoundland, south in the eastern mountains to Pennsylvania, across to Ohio and Minnesota, and south in the western mountains to Mexico. Winters from the southern United States to Central America.

Remarks Although not endowed with particularly colourful plumage, or outstanding ability as a songster, this bird is a general favourite among those who know it well. Its fearlessness around humans is at times surprising. One sitting on its nest permitted me to approach so near that I was able to reach up and stroke its back. Another pleasing characteristic is the devotion the male shows towards his mate. In spring he not only helps with nest-building but shares in the monotonous task of incubation, often singing while sitting on the eggs, and later helps feed the young. During the nesting season he never wanders far from the nest and his sweet musical notes may be heard from early morning till late in the day as he leisurely wanders about his territory.