| Animalia | Passeriformes | Vireonidae | Vireo | Vireo latimeri |
The Puerto Rican Vireo (Vireo latimeri) is a petite endemic songbird reaching just 12 cm (4.7 inches) long. Nicknamed “bien-te-veo” (see-you-well) for its distinctive call, this gray-headed bird sports a white breast and yellow-hued belly.
- Common Name(s): Puerto Rican Vireo, Bien-Te-Veo
- Family: Vireonidae
- Body Dimensions: 12 cm
- Male Plumage Color(s): Gray Head, White Breast, Yellow Belly
- Female Plumage Color(s): Gray Head, White Breast, Yellow Belly
- Habitat: Forests
- Diet: Insects, Fruits
- Native Countries: Puerto Rico
- Continent(s): North America
- Taxonomy Classification Year: 1866
- Taxonomist(s): Spencer Fullerton Baird
Puerto Rican Vireo Fun Facts
- Weighing 11-12 grams, the Puerto Rican Vireo favors forested areas across Puerto Rico[1], where it forages among branches for insects and spiders to fuel its energetic metabolism.
- The Puerto Rican Vireo supplements its diet with small lizards and berries by expertly snatching up grasshoppers, caterpillars, cicadas, beetles, and other small prey.
- Usually quiet, both sexes sing a varied, sweet warbling song. This species builds intricate hanging nests but suffers from brood parasitism by the invasive Shiny Cowbird, which hijacks vireo nests to lay its eggs.
- Population declines in the 1980s stemming from Shiny Cowbird nest intrusions provoked conservation concerns for the Puerto Rican Vireo.
- However, implementing control programs for the offending cowbird allowed vireo numbers to rebound in targeted forests like Guánica State Park.
- Still considered Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List though, habitat protection remains vital for this tiny endemic bird’s survival.
- Ensuring mature broadleaf forests with sufficient insects and fruit—the Puerto Rican Vireo’s ideal nesting and feeding grounds – is paramount.
While small, widely foraging birds may seem commonplace, focusing conservation efforts on vulnerable endemic species like the “see-you-well” Puerto Rican Vireo underscores Puerto Rico’s precious biodiversity as a Caribbean Island.
While the Puerto Rican Vireo is unique to the forests of Puerto Rico, Mexico’s bird species offer an equally dazzling variety. From colorful buntings to rare endemic warblers, Mexico is home to some of the most remarkable birds in the Americas. You can explore many of these fascinating species in our full guide on Mexican birds.
