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Vireo atricapilla

Woodhouse, 1852

Black-capped Vireo

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Near threatenedIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atricapilla). Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public Domain (U.S. Government Work), via ECOS.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105332
Element CodeABPBW01120
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNNear threatened
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyVireonidae
GenusVireo
Synonyms
Vireo atricapillusWoodhouse, 1852
Other Common Names
black-capped vireo (EN) Viréo à tête noire (FR) Vireo Gorra Negra (ES)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Vireo atricapilla and V. nelsoni may constitute a superspecies (AOU 1998).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2022-09-22
Change Date2022-09-22
Edition Date2022-09-22
Edition AuthorsHunting, K. (2022)
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
The black-capped vireo suffered steep historical declines resulting from intensive brood parasitism, loss of habitat to over-grazing, conversion of habitat to agricultural uses, and in some locations, urban development. Most of these threats have been reduced to below population-level impacts and protection of nesting areas and habitat has increased. Nest parasite control has been highly effective in recovering this species in some areas.
Range Extent Comments
This species breeds in scattered locations in central Oklahoma south through central and west-central Texas (U.S.) and throughout central Coahuila, west-central Nuevo Leon, and southwestern Tamaulipas, Mexico (Farquhar and Gonzalez 2005, USFWS 2018a). It overwinters along the Pacific Coast of Mexico from southern Sinaloa south to Oaxaca. The range extent of the black-capped vireo was estimated at about 540,000 km2 using a concave hull analysis around location data from various sources (GBIF 2022) and descriptive range information of the breeding range (see USFWS 2018a).
Occurrences Comments
The number of occurrences of the black-capped vireo have not been estimated using standardized criteria, but the species is represented by a substantial number of distinct occurrences (subpopulations). There are probably in excess of 500 occurrences as defined by these subpopulations.
Threat Impact Comments
Several threats acted on black-capped vireo populations at the time of listing (USFWS 1987) including nest parasitism by cowbirds (Molothrus spp.), habitat loss and fragmentation from urban and suburban development, and habitat degradation resulting from conversion of open shrubland to non-native grassland for cattle grazing (USFWS 1991). On-going cowbird control, restoration of former rangeland using prescribed burning and other mechanisms, and, in some areas, grazing prescriptions have apparently reduced these threats to levels below population effect (USFWS 2018b).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

The black-capped vireo exhibits conspicuous white "spectacles" (eye ring plus loral stripe). Adults have olive upperparts, a white breast and belly with yellowish flanks, and yellowish wing bars; the head is black in adult males, gray in adult females; immatures are browner above, buffy below (NGS 1983).

Diagnostic Characteristics

The adult black-capped vireo differ from the solitary vireo ( V. solitarius)in having a darker head (vs. bluish-gray in eastern solitary vireos) smaller size, averaging 11 cm long (vs. 14 cm in the solitary vireo). It differs from the gray vireo (V. vicinior)in having yellowish flanks (vs. gray or white in the other species). Finally it differs from Bell's vireo (V. bellii) in having a darker head and much more distinct spectacles. Immatures are browner above and have a darker head than do other similar vireos.

Habitat

Habitat of the black-capped vireo consists of dense low thickets and oak scrub, mostly on rocky hillsides or steep ravine slopes in rugged terrain (Grzybowski 2020). Nesting occurs in areas with clumps of woody vegetation separated by bare ground, rocks, and/or herbaceous vegetation (USFWS 1987), often in areas with sparse Juniperus. In Texas and Oklahoma, nesting territories had relatively high densities of deciduous vegetation (primarily oaks, Quercus sp.) close to the ground and occurred where variation in relative density measures of woody vegetation was highest (Grzybowski 2020). Vireos avoided higher juniper densities on the Lampasas Cut Plains and more open areas on the Edwards Plateau. Favorable breeding habitat had 35-55% dispersed scrub cover (primarily deciduous) in spatially heterogeneous configurations, with (in most areas) juniper cover well below 10%; however, in the Edwards Plateau region and areas to the southwest junipers may contribute important cover. See Grzybowski (2020) for further details. In Mexico, this vireo commonly occurs in dense thickets with few spaces between clumps of vegetation (Benson and Benson 1990).

Reproduction

Complete clutches have been found as early as early April, but most nesting begins around mid- to late April, extends into August, with occasional broods still attended by adults into early September; most nesting is over by late July (Grzybowski 1991). Clutch size 3-5 (usually 4). Incubation 14-17 days, by both sexes. Young tended by both parents, leave nest at about 10-12 days. Parental care may last 30-50 days. Female may renest after first brood fledges, leaving male to care for the first brood. Common host of brown-headed cowbird, which may greatly reduce nesting success.
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparral
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2B
ProvinceRankNative
TexasS3BYes
KansasSXBYes
OklahomaS1BYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentSmall (1-10%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasSmall (1-10%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesPervasive (71-100%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseasesPervasive (71-100%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (2)
New Mexico (2)
AreaForestAcres
Last Chance CanyonLincoln National Forest8,934
Last Chance CanyonLincoln National Forest8,934
References (44)
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