Bell's Vireo
A species of Vireos Scientific name : Vireo bellii Genus : Vireos
Bell's Vireo, A species of Vireos
Botanical name: Vireo bellii
Genus: Vireos
Content
Description General Info
Description
Measurements: Length: 4.5-4.9 in (11.5-12.5 cm) Weight: 0.3-0.3 oz (7.4-9.8 g) Wingspan: 6.7-7.5 in (17-19 cm) 
Size
12 cm (4.75 in)
Life Expectancy
3-9 years
Nest Placement
Shrub
Clutch Size
2 - 4 eggs
Number of Broods
14 - 15 days
Nestling Period
10 - 12 days
Feeding Habits
Bell's Vireo primarily consume insects and spiders, occasionally small berries like black alder. They prey on beetles, weevils, stinkbugs, bees, wasps, flies, midges, ants, leafhoppers, grasshoppers, moths, and butterflies, focusing on caterpillars. They glean from foliage and twigs, hover-glean, or hawk insects in flight, usually foraging below 12 feet.
Habitat
Bell's Vireo thrive in dense shrubby or scrubby habitats including brushy fields, riverine scrub, and chaparral. They favor low vegetation near streams, arroyos, and gulches, avoiding open desert, grasslands, and cultivated lands. Though they can be found near large trees like cottonwoods and willows, they tend to stay in the underbrush. In winter, bell's Vireo occupy habitats ranging from riparian to arid, like Mexico's thorn forests, preferring sites akin to their breeding grounds.
Nest Behavior
Bell's Vireo's nesting involves both sexes; males initiate with supportive weaving, and females create the cup and lining. Spider silk is used for structure and lining, and decoration includes spider egg cases. Nest construction is a collaborative process, and both parents partake in nest adornment.
Nest Characteristics
Bell's Vireo's nest is placed in a forked branch of a tree or shrub, about 3 feet high. It's constructed with grass, plant stems, leaves, wool, moss, bark, and spider silk. The structure is cup-shaped, averaging 2.8 inches wide and 3.3 inches deep externally, with interior dimensions of 1.8 inches square.
Dite type
Insectivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird Feeder Type
Platform
Behavior
Bell's Vireo exhibit a range of behaviors integral to their daily life and survival. Courtship involves males energetically pursuing females with potential midair collisions and elaborate displays. Distinctly, during the 'greeting' display in nest construction, pairs engage in synchronized wing and tail flicking along with unique postural reversals. Aggression towards rivals includes physical confrontations after warning gestures. Noteworthy is the 'leap-flutter' display, where males jump and hover impressively before returning to perch. Territoriality is expressed through vigilant song in areas of up to 5 acres. In defense of their progeny, bell's Vireo vigorously repel Brown-headed Cowbirds to prevent parasitic egg-laying, and also mob potential predatory threats like jays and thrashers near their nests.
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
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