English and Scientific names:

Yellow-green Vireo (Vireo flavoviridis flavoviridis)

Number of individuals: 

One, age/sex unknown

Locality: LOUISIANA: 

Cameron Parish

Specific Locality:

Peveto Beach Woods, ca. 3.5 mi. E of Johnson Bayou

Date(s) when observed:

18 May 2009

Time(s) of day when observed:  

~8:00 – 9:30 AM CDT

Reporting observer and address:

Devin Bosler

Lancaster, PA

Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):

E.J. Raynor, Gary Broussard

Other observers who independently identified the bird(s)

Gary Broussard (first discovered this individual on 16 May 2009), Paul Conover, Dave Patton, David Muth, Phillip Wallace, Curt Sorrells,  Tom Finnie (on 17 May 2009)

Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):

Clear sky and sufficient mid-morning sunlight.  Sun angle relatively high and backlighting not a factor.

Optical equipment: 

Zeiss Victory FL 8x42, Nikon Fieldscope w/ 20-60x optical zoom, Canon Powershot SD 1100 IS (equipment in good condition)

Distance to bird(s): 

within ca. 8-10 meters

Duration of observation:

1.5 hrs (non-continuous)

Habitat: 

Mature, fragmented coastal chenier woodlot adjacent to Gulf.  Live oak-honeylocust-hackberry dominated woodlot with herbaceous understory.

Behavior of bird: 

It was observed in flight, at rest, and feeding.  Actively foraging with a small flock of migrant passerines (mainly REVI and some warblers) at south end, or beach side, of woodlot.  It was foraging very low at times, occasionally at eye level in bare branches of dead hackberries, etc.  It was silently foraging on various arthropods but appeared to be favoring caterpillars, larvae, etc.  The bird was continuously moving from perch to perch and sometimes hover-gleaning to feed, and only pausing briefly to consume food item.

 

Description:

A vireo with bright greenish-yellow upperparts and extensive yellow wash on underparts, especially on sides, flanks, underwing and undertail coverts.  Grayish crown blending with back and upperparts color.  Pale supercilium bordered by weak dark lines.  Dark eye line.  Greenish auriculars blend with yellow throat.  Large, pale horn bill.  Dark red irides.  Blackish tarsi and feet.

Voice:

Silent.

Similar species:

Very similar to Red-eyed Vireo (REVI) in appearance, however Yellow-green Vireo (YGVI) is much brighter green-yellow on upperparts and considerably more yellow on underparts (hardly any yellow wash below on REVI).  In addition, YGVI has rather indistinct, blended head pattern (not bold as in REVI) and a much larger, paler bill.  No other similar N.A. vireos.

Photographs or tape recordings obtained?

Yes, digiscoped photo by Devin Bosler.  Yes, attached.

Previous experience with this species: 

Only previous experience with this species from trip to Panama in May 2005.  A few were seen and heard in canal zone.

Identification aids:

National Geographic Complete Birds of N.A. (Alderfer et al. 2005).

This description is written from: 

notes made during the observation, notes made after the observation, memory.

Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain: 

 

Yes, very positive.

Reporter: 

Devin Bosler 

Date and time: 

25 June 2009  11:30 PM EDT