Warbling vireo - How exactly do you "warble"?
A warbling vireo near Merritt, BC. "The warbling vireo is one of the most abundant and familiar breeding birds in deciduous stands throughout most of British Columbia" (quote from BC breeding bird atlas ). I find this statement odd, in that I have lived in BC now for almost 40 years and this is the first one I have ever photographed. Warbling refers to "the act of singing or producing a melodious sound with rapid changes in pitch, vibration, or tone" (from Merriam-Webster). If you listen to the song ( click here for video ), you will notice that the bird does indeed warble. The warbling vireo has been split into two species, the western and the eastern species. They look similar and can be difficult to tell apart. I photographed this bird near Merritt, BC, so it is likely a western warbling vireo. There is a great image of both birds here . The differences are minute, and I can't be sure that it is the western variety, but it makes s...