Vireo solitarius
Silhouette: Caleb Gordon · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The blue-headed vireo (Vireo solitarius) is a migratory songbird found in North and Central America. There are currently two recognized subspecies that belong to the blue-headed vireo. It has a range that extends across Canada and the eastern coast of the United States, Mexico, and some of Central America. It prefers large temperate forests with a mix of evergreen trees and deciduous under growth.
As the name suggests, the blue-headed vireo is characterized by its blue-grey head and bold yellow wing bars. Both sexes are very similar in plumage and size. Juveniles also have a similar plumage. Populations of the blue-headed vireo have been steadily increasing since the 1970s. Therefore, in 2004, the species was classified as a "Least Concern" species.
The blue-headed vireo has similar plumage year round and does not drastically change its appearance during the breeding season. It can be characterized by its olive green upper body, two bold yellow wing bars down the edge of its wing, and a deep blue-grey crown from which it gets its name. The juvenile plumage of immature blue-headed vireos is not distinct but very similar to the adult plumage. While this bird's appearance... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monterrey | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Guatemala City | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 4 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-headed Vireo sighting in Elk Island National Park on a given day, based on 35 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 103rd most-seen of the 161 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May to July
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-headed Vireo in Elk Island National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to April, the lowest months. Those are among Elk Island National Park's wettest months, with about 95 mm of rain a month against 20 mm in December.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Blue-headed Vireo sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
17th of 26
Of the 26 parks where we can rate Blue-headed Vireo sightings, Elk Island National Park ranks 17th at about 10%. The best odds are in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (United States, about 40%), Point Pelee National Park (Canada, about 30%) and Cañón del Sumidero National Park (Mexico, about 30%).
Same genus: Vireo
The closest relatives of the Blue-headed Vireo that you can see in Elk Island National Park (genus Vireo, Vireos) are Red-eyed Vireo (about 50%), Warbling Vireo (about 10%) and Philadelphia Vireo (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Blue-headed Vireo is recorded against all the birds logged in Elk Island National Park (35 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
