Red-Eyed Vireo: A Whistling Voice from the Treetops

By Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist

July 16, 2025

red-eyed vireo on ground — A young red-eyed vireo rests near the edge of the forest — its bold facial stripe and crimson eye hinting at the adult to come. Photo by Jennifer Correa-Kruegel.

Along wooded edges and lake trails, a small but striking songbird makes its presence known not by sight, but by a distinctive whistled tune repeated from the treetops.

The red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus), a pale gray and yellow songbird with unmistakable crimson eyes and a bold stripe across the face, is a familiar sound in eastern forests during late spring and summer. Though difficult to spot, these birds can be heard repeating short, clear phrases every few seconds from high above the ground.

A young red-eyed vireo was recently spotted on a lake trail along a forest edge, likely having just left its nest in one of the tall deciduous trees favored by this species. Red-eyed vireos have pale yellow and gray plumage, accented by a dark, mascara-like stripe that accentuates their distinctive red eyes. These birds are typically solitary creatures outside of the late spring and early summer mating and nesting seasons.

When a clear view isn’t possible, the next best thing is to listen for their song. Many birders associate mnemonic phrases with birdsongs to help identify them. For the red-eyed vireo, it’s a steady series of whistle-like phrases: “Here-I-am, in-the-tree, look-up, at-the-top,” repeated roughly once every two seconds. Their vocalizations may also include a nasal “meerf” or “zherr” call.

Red-eyed vireos are omnivorous, feeding on anything from berries to insects and even their own larvae. The bird observed showed no sign of injury or illness — likely just a fledgling learning the ropes.

Fun facts:

Red-eyed vireos have pale gray and yellow bodies with a dark stripe that highlights their red eyes.
They nest high in broad-leaved trees.
Their call is a repeated set of short phrases, often remembered as “Here-I-am, in-the-tree, look-up, at-the-top.”
Red-eyed vireos feed on both insects and berries.

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist

Jennifer has a Masters in Parks and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University. She worked as a Park Naturalist for Hunterdon County Park System from 2003-2006 and then at the NJSOC full-time from 2006 - 2020, starting as the Program Coordinator and evolving to an Environmental Educator. Jen is a New Jersey native and has lived in Warren County with her family since 2004. She is excited to be offering programs to this community she has grown to love.