Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atricapilla)
Taxonomy:
View taxonomy in ITISListing Status: Delisted due to Recovery
General Information
12 cm. Well-marked and distinctive vireo. Male has black head, white lores and eye-ring (giving spectacled appearance), olive upperparts, blackish wings fringed olive and two yellowish wing-bars. Whitish underparts with olive flanks. Red iris. Female duller and with grey head. Juvenile browner.The species historical range included Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas. See below for information about where the species is known or believed to occur.
» Range Information
Current Range
Current range maps are only shown within the jurisdictional boundaries of the United States of America. The species may also occur outside this region.
Wherever found
Listing status: Delisted due to Recovery
- States/US Territories in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: Oklahoma, Texas
- US Counties in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: View All
- USFWS Refuges in which this population is known to occur: Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
- Countries in which this population is known to occur: Mexico, United States
» Candidate Information
No Candidate information available for this species.
No Candidate Assessments available for this species.
No Uplisting Documents currently available for this species.
» Federal Register Documents
» Species Status Assessments (SSAs)
No Special Rule Publications currently available for this species.
» Recovery
- Species with Recovery Documents Data Explorer
- Recovery Priority Number: 8
» Critical Habitat
No Critical Habitat Documents currently available for this species.
» Conservation Plans
» Petitions
» Biological Opinions
To see all FWS Issued Biological Opinions please visit the BO Report.
» Life History
Habitat Requirements
In general, black-capped vireo breeding habitat is categorized as shrublands and open woodlands. Specifically, vireos utilize low scrubby growth, mostly comprised of deciduous vegetation, of irregular height and distribution, having foliage cover to ground level and with spaces between shrub/tree motte. Open area, or spaces between shrub mottes and trees consists of bare ground, rock, grasses and forbs. Within the United States (U.S.) range, habitat can be described as having 1) deciduous foliage density in the 0-3 meters (m)(0-10 feet (ft)) height classes, 2) few juniper species, 3) less-open habitats, and 4) heterogeneity in density of woody vegetation (especially deciduous). woody shrub cover of 35 to 55 percent is preferred by vireos.Woody shrub cover of 35 to 55 percent is preferred by vireos. (Cited from USFWS Black-capped Vireo SSA 2016, pp. 15-16)
Food Habits
Adult and fledgling black-capped vireos forage for insects within their preferred habitat mostly by gleaning them from vegetation (Graber 1961, p. 332; Grzybowski 1995, p. 5; Houston 2008, p. 23). Males tend to forage higher (>2 m; 6.6 ft) in vegetation strata than females in breeding habitats (Grzybowski 1995, p. 5; Houston 2008, p. 17). The need for increased structural heterogeneity in vegetation, including vertical strata above 3 m (10 ft) may be important for foraging, especially for males and juveniles (Houston 2008, p. 26). The diet of black-capped vireos consists mainly of arthropods, and of those mostly Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) larvae (Graber 1961, p. 332). They will also supplement the diet with plant matter, mainly seeds (Graber 1961, p. 332; Grzybowski 1995, p. 5). Most foraging in Texas occurs in deciduous vegetation, largely live oak, as well as shin oak, and Texas red oak (Houston 2008, p. 16; Morgan 2012, p. 41). When available, considerable foraging may also occur in Ashe juniper trees (Morgan 2012, p. 41). (Cited from USFWS Black-capped Vireo SSA 2016, p. 33)
» Other Resources
NatureServe Explorer Species Reports-- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.
ITIS Reports-- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.
FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video." +
