Cassin's Vireo vs Philadelphia Vireo: How to Tell Them Apart

Cassin's Vireo

Vireo cassinii

Tiny15 gForest

The vireo is 11–14 cm (4–6 inches) long. It has a grayish olive head, back, and flanks, with whitish underparts. One of its distinctive features is the solid white "spectacles" around its eyes, along with white wing bars. These markings set it apart from other similar species like the plumbeous vireo and the blue-headed vireo.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Christopher Eliot · Song · North Fork Blackfoot River, Powell County, Montana, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Adam Jackson · CC0

Philadelphia Vireo

Vireo philadelphicus

Tiny12 gWoodland

Adults are mainly olive-brown on the upperparts with yellow underparts; they have dark eyes and a grey crown. They have no wing bars and no eye ring. There is a dark line through the eyes and a white stripe just over them. They have thick blue-grey legs and a stout bill. The Philadelphia vireo is similar in appearance to the warbling vireo, but can be reliably distinguished by having much yellower underparts, and dark lores.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma · Call · Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: ChrisMcV · CC0

Where you might meet both

United States Canada Mexico

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Cassin's Vireo and Philadelphia Vireo.