vireo

American  

[vir-ee-oh] / ˈvɪr iˌoʊ /

noun

• vireos
  plural

1. any of several small, insectivorous American birds of the family Vireonidae, having the plumage usually olive-green or gray above and white or yellow below.

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vireo British  

/ ˈvɪrɪəʊ /

noun

1. any insectivorous American songbird of the family Vireonidae, esp those of the genus Vireo, having an olive-grey back with pale underparts

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• vireos
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of vireo

1825–35; < New Latin; Latin vireō (Pliny), probably the greenfinch, derivative of virēre to be green

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vireo vireos

A rather plain but sweet-looking species called the Philadelphia vireo wasn’t studied a single time during this 55-year period, according to the analysis.

From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2025

A River Partners analysis of the property found species including riparian woodrat, Swainson’s hawk, least Bell’s vireo, yellow warbler, sandhill crane and “an entire suite of neotropical migratory songbirds.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2024

The song that Gary made the recording of did sound a bit like a bird called a brown-capped vireo.

From Slate ● Nov. 20, 2021

PLF’s attorneys have sued on behalf of the Texas Farm Bureau to strip protections from a small bird called the black-capped vireo.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 21, 2019

So we bade her adieu, and went in pursuit of a solitary vireo, just then overheard singing not far off.

From A Rambler's lease by Bradford Torrey

"The density of migratory warblers, flycatchers, and vireos crowded into these five forests is astounding, and means that each hectare protected there safeguards a disproportionate number of birds."

From Science Daily ● Nov. 22, 2025

Some of the relatively understudied species were Philadelphia vireos, crissal thrashers, black-chinned sparrows, and olive warblers.

From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2025

The next morning, they found two gray vireos only a few hundred yards apart: One on the Nevada side of the border, the other within Inyo County, making it eligible for entry in their book.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2023

A photo caption that accompanied an image with the article misidentified a downy woodpecker as a hairy woodpecker, and a group of bright yellow finches or vireos was referred to only as “birds.”

From Washington Post ● Apr. 7, 2023

There were no insects singing, there were no catbirds, or orioles, or vireos, or robins.

From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

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