ID Keys: Dull olive-gray upperparts, pale yellow to whitish
underparts, 2 white wing bars, large gray bill
The
Thick-billed Vireo is a bird with a small geographic range in the Caribbean,
with breeding populations in the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Turks and
Caicos, and scattered other locations. In the United States it is but
a vagrant, having been found in scattered locations in Florida a number of
times. They are very similar to the
White-eyed Vireo, but the thicker gray bill and the "broken" eye ring
should help a birder distinguish a Thick-billed Vireo from that species.
Habitat
Prefers areas with dense thickets or
forest undergrowth.
Diet
Feeds heavily on insects and spiders.
They will also sometimes eat berries and small fruits.
Behavior
Foraging is done at a relatively low
height, typically in forest undergrowth, thickets, and forest edges.
Insects and spiders are gathered by gleaning from foliage and other
vegetation surfaces.
Nesting
The nest of a Thick-billed Vireo is a cup
of grasses, lined with softer materials. The female usually lays 2 or
3 eggs, and both parents help to incubate them.
Migration
Considered a permanent resident
throughout most of its range, but some short-distance movements are noted.
Song
Has a variable song of a series of 5 to
7 notes, beginning and ending with a sharp chik.
Similar species
Similar in overall appearance
to the White-eyed Vireo. The
Thick-billed Vireo can be distinguished by that species by the
incomplete eye-ring, "broken" at the top of the eye.
