Bell’s Vireo
Vireo bellii
Bell’s Vireos are migratory and breed in the central and southwestern United States and northern Mexico. They spend winters in central and southern Mexico and Baja California. Habitat loss threatens this species across its range. In 1986, when there were only about 300 nesting pairs in existence, federal and California state agencies listed Least Bell’s Vireo as endangered, and instituted protective measures. Since then, their numbers have been slowly increasing.
Science recognises four subspecies of Bell’s Vireo:
- V. b. pusillus (Least Bells Vireo) breeds on the Pacific Slope of California from Santa Barbara to northern Baja California, and spends winters near the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
- V. b. arizonae breeds in Nevada, Utah, Arizona and southwest and northwestern New Mexico, and spends winters in western Mexico.
- V. b. medius breeds in southeast New Mexico and west Texas and spends winters in central Mexico.
- V. b. bellii breeds in the midwestern USA and spends winters on the Pacific Slope from Mexico to Nicaragua.
I remember meeting the Least Bell’s Vireo for the first time on the desert slopes of east San Diego County. It was the curious bubbling song that caught my attention. The rapid-fire delivery of too many notes for the allotted time was too much for me to resist, and I braved the thick brush and rough trail to learn of its author. When I finally spotted the songster, I realized I’d met its Arizona cousin a few years earlier, north of Tucson Either the songs of these two birds were different enough, or my memory of the Arizona bird’s song too hazy for me to recall, but as I listened to this San Diego bird’s barrage of notes, I failed to identify by sound alone.
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: Found in the riperian zone near the parking area at Border Field, San Ysidro, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:04 7:45 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 |
File Name: D3X3180-BellsVireo |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: The "Least" Bell's Vireo is threatened due to habitat loss. San Dieguito Coast to Crest Trail, Mule Hill section. Escondodo, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:29 10:42 |
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Location:
Mule Hill |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X5326-BellsVireo |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: Border Field, San Ysidro, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:04 7:45 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 |
File Name: D3X3181-BellsVireo |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: The "Least" Bell's Vireo is threatened due to habitat loss. San Dieguito Coast to Crest Trail, Mule Hill section. Escondodo, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:29 10:46 |
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Location:
Mule Hill |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X5347-BellsVireo |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: Border Field, San Ysidro, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:04 7:44 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 |
File Name: D3X3169-BellsVireo |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: Buenos Aires NWR. Arivaca, South Central Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2003:08:31 10:48 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD_1506BellsVireo |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: (SubSp. "Least") San Felipe Creek, North of Highway 78. Eastern San Diego County, Anza-Borrego Park, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:08:16 6:36 |
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Location:
Scissors Crossing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: Cut_jcd9827BellsVireo |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: (SubSp. "Least") San Felipe Creek, North of Highway 78. Eastern San Diego County, Anza-Borrego Park, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:08:16 7:03 |
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Location:
Scissors Crossing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/350 |
File Name: jcd9840BellsVireo |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: (SubSp. "Least") San Felipe Creek, North of Highway 78. Eastern San Diego County, Anza-Borrego Park, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:08:16 6:36 |
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Location:
Scissors Crossing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: jcd9827BellsVireo |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: (SubSp. "Least") San Felipe Creek, North of Highway 78. Eastern San Diego County, Anza-Borrego Park, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:04:10 12:08 |
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Location:
Scissors Crossing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD5315.BellsVireo |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: The Cienega at Arivaca. Part of the Buenos Aires NWR in rural Arizona. Southeast of Tucson. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:04 7:01 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X0498 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: The Cienega at Arivaca. Part of the Buenos Aires NWR in rural Arizona. Southeast of Tucson. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:04 7:01 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X0482 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: Lower Madera Canyon by Proctor Road. East of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 6:14 |
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Location:
Madera Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X9340 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: Molino Basin Campground on Mount Lemon. Near Tucson, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:26 9:01 |
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Location:
Molino Basin |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X7846 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: A bird setting up territory at Agua Caliente Park in Northeastern Tucson, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:24 13:43 |
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Location:
Agua Caliente Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X7156 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: Agua Caliente Park in Northeastern Tucson, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:24 13:43 |
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Location:
Agua Caliente Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X7148 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: Agua Caliente Park in Northeastern Tucson, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:24 13:35 |
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Location:
Agua Caliente Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X7037 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: A bird setting up territory at Agua Caliente Park in Northeastern Tucson, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:24 13:35 |
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Location:
Agua Caliente Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X7033 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: This bird was found in the willow habitat near Pintail Landing, part of the Havasu NWR in Arizona east of Needles, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:02 8:18 |
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Location:
Pintail Landing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X8660-BellsVireo |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: This bird was found in the willow habitat near Pintail Landing, part of the Havasu NWR in Arizona east of Needles, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:02 8:17 |
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Location:
Pintail Landing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X8658-BellsVireo |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: Planet Ranch bosque on the eastern side of Bill Williams NWR in Arizona. North of Parker, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:04:29 13:04 |
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Location:
Planet Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X8398-BellsVireo |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: Lower Madera Canyon by Proctor Road. East of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 6:14 |
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Location:
Madera Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X9340 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: Bell's Vireos were among the birds I met when I spent the early morning at the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior, Arizona. The day was sunny and the birds were friendly. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:26 8:58 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X5016-Boyce-Thompson |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: I drove for three plus hours to spend two lovely hours with these birds at the Cienega in Arivaca before turning onto my final leg of my homeward journey from my 2020 Texas adventure. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:27 8:33 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X6082-Arivaca |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: I drove for three plus hours to spend two lovely hours with these birds at the Cienega in Arivaca before turning onto my final leg of my homeward journey from my 2020 Texas adventure. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:27 8:33 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X6086-Arivaca |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
|
Description: This bird was found in the willow habitat near Pintail Landing, part of the Havasu NWR in Arizona east of Needles, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:02 8:17 |
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Location:
Pintail Landing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X8657-BellsVireo |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
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Description: The Cienega at Arivaca. Part of the Buenos Aires NWR in rural Arizona. Southeast of Tucson. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:04 7:01 |
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Location:
Arivaca Cienega |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X0495 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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