RED-EYED VIREO 



Top of head gray margined with black; white line above 

 the eye; wings and tail olive-green; under parts white; eyes 

 bright red. Length, six inches. 



Nest, pensile, composed of shreds of bark, rootlets, plant 

 down, bits of wasp nests and paper. It is built about June 1st, 

 being attached by the upper edge to twigs of trees from which 

 it hangs down like a little cup. It may be found from five to 

 thirty feet from the ground. Eggs, white, three to five, slightly 

 spotted with dark brown at large end, .80 x .60 inches. 



The Red-eyed are the most abundant of the many kinds 

 of Vireos. Coming from the tropical isles and South America 

 early in May, they are numerous in the Northern States and 

 Southern Canada. Shady forests are most attractive to them, 

 yet they frequent parks and tall trees about farms and gardens 

 and enter cities and towns wherever trees are abundant. 



They are strictly insectivorous in their habits and, there- 

 fore, very helpful. Throughout the entire day they search for 

 insects and caterpillars on leaf and twig and limb of every kind 

 of tree found in lawns, orchards and forests. 



The song of this Vireo is cheerful and constant through 

 all kinds of weather. John Burroughs says, "Rain or shine, 

 before noon, or after, in the deep forest or in the village grove, 

 when it is too hot for the Thrushes or too cold and windy for 

 the Warblers, it is never out of time or place for this little 

 minstrel to indulge his cheerful strain." Given in soft 

 whistling tones with rising and falling inflections, the song 

 suggests the bird's name, for it seems to say vireo, vireo, vireo. 

 This is given without apparent effort and quite unconsciously, 

 as the bird flits from tree to tree. 



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