Red-eyed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo perched on a small tree branch.
Red-eyed Vireo, Central Park, New York City, NY, August 31, 2024
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-40,000; f/10; 1/800 sec.

This page is for the Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus). My first photographic evidence occurred on June 11, 2022 at the Fort Worth Nature Preserve. I was walking along a trail and heard a bird call I did not know. The all-knowing Merlin app identified it as the Red-eyed Vireo. Like all other attempts to shoot a Vireo, this one met with much frustration as it darted here and there, staying pretty deep in the trees and high in the canopy of the woods. Just as I would spot him, he would fly somewhere else. I managed to get a few very-backlit photos, but I didn’t really like those. Finally after about 45 minutes of trying to get this guy, he landed on the branch shown above pretty high in the trees. He sat there long enough for me to find him, get my camera up, zoomed, and focused, and fire off about 50 images. Although still partially obscured by leaves, and the red color of its eye not very apparent, I am pretty happy with this shot (the next photo).

Red-eyed Vireo sitting on a branch among the leaves and calling to other birds.
Red-eyed Vireo, Fort Worth Nature Preserve, Fort Worth, TX, June 11, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-10,000; f/10; 1/800 sec.
Red-eyed Vireo sitting on a branch with it head tilted in a funny way.
Red-eyed Vireo, Fort Worth Nature Preserve, Fort Worth, TX, July 4, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-500; f/10; 1/500 sec.
Red-eyed Vireo perched on a small tree branch. It is difficult to see the features of the bird due to backlighting from the sun.
Red-eyed Vireo, Fort Worth Nature Preserve, Fort Worth, TX, July 10, 2022
Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-320; f/10; 1/1600 sec.