Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)


Group	Vireos
Code	ABPBW01230
Order	Passeriformes
Family	Vireonidae
Author	(Cassin, 1851)
Rank	G5 (definitions)
Occurrence	LM (definitions)
Scale	C (definitions)

County List:


Western UP	Dickinson, Ontonagon, Menominee, Marquette, Keweenaw, Houghton, Delta, Baraga, Iron
Eastern UP	Schoolcraft, Luce, Chippewa, Alger
Northern LP	Presque Isle, Cheboygan
Southern LP	none

Rule:

Forested or Mixed Forested/Nonforested Landscapes

1st alternative:
      (Aspen (Sm Saw or Lg Saw))
      or (Assorted Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Upland Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Balsam Poplar&Swamp Aspen&Swamp Birch (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
   adjacent to:
      (Edge or Riparian)

2nd alternative:
      Upland Brush

view decision rule term definitions

Habitat List:

Habitats	Regen	Sap	Pole	Sm Saw	Lg Saw	Uneven
Aspen	no	no	no	YES	YES	-
Paper Birch	no	no	no	no	no	-
Oak	no	no	no	no	no	no
Assorted Hardwoods	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Spruce/Fir	no	no	no	no	no	no
Hemlock	no	no	no	no	no	no
Jack Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Red Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
White Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Conifer Plantations	no	no	no	no	no	-
Mixed Upland Hardwoods	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Mixed Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Upland Conifer	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Swamp Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Balsam Poplar & Swamp Aspen & Swamp Birch	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Bottomland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tamarack	no	no	no	no	no	no
Northern White Cedar	no	no	no	no	no	no
Black Spruce	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Conifer	no	no	no	no	no	no
Non-Forested	Upland Brush
Special Features	Edges, Riparian

view size class definitions

Literature:

Binford, L. C. 1991. Philadelphia Vireo. Pages 380-381 In: R. Brewer, G. A. McPeek, and R. J. Adams, Jr. (eds.) The atlas of breeding birds of Michigan. Michigan State University Press, East Lansing. 594 pp.

Habitat: In Michigan, the Philadelphia Vireo frequents patches of mature deciduous forest composed primarily of aspen, which may be mixed with or adjacent to sugar maple, red maple, red oak, white birch, or yellow birch; the juxtaposition of aspen and maple is ideal. Edge, such as along little-used roads, is preferred. The only known nest for the state was a rather large brown cup suspended from a branch fork about 14 m up in a 16 m red maple.

The Philadelphia Vireo probably benefits from selective logging and mosaic clearcutting, provided the regrowth consists of proper tree species and is allowed to attain moderate height and density. Unfortunately, such is not the case in Baraga Co., where the second-growth aspen are recut after about 15 years and hence are too young for the vireos. Reforestation of abandoned farms and creation of edge by construction of small forest roads tend to increase the available habitat.

DeGraaf, R. M. and D. D. Rudis. 1986. New England wildlife: habitat, natural history, and distribution. GTR NE-108. Broomall, PA:USDA, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 491 pp.

Habitat: Breeding: Deciduous, coniferous or mixed forests, woodland edges, clearings, and burned-over areas with young deciduous second growth, neglected farmlands grown up to small trees and tall shrubs interspersed with clearings, willow and alder thickets along streams. Rarely in villages.

Special Habitat Requirements: Deciduous trees for nesting.

Kaufman, K. 1996. Lives of North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 675 pp.

Habitat: Second growth; poplars, willows, alders. Breeds in deciduous and mixed woodlands, especially near their edges, or in young growth of overgrown pastures. Also nests in willows and alders along streams, lakes, ponds.

Diet: Mostly insects, some berries. Feeds mostly on insects, including caterpillars, moths, beetles, wasps, bees, ants, ichneumons, true bugs, and many others; also some spiders. Eats many berries in late summer and fall, including those of bayberry and dogwoods.

Nest: Site is 10-90 feet above the ground in deciduous trees such as aspen, willow, alder, or maple. Nest is a compact, basketlike cup, its rim woven onto a horizontal forked twig. Nest made of grass, strips of birch bark, lichen, weeds, spider webs, and cocoons, lined with pine needles, grass, and feathers.