Black-Capped Vireos Show Great Recovery
Not so long ago the black-capped vireo nearly went extinct. When the black-capped vireo was listed as an endangered species back in 1987 there were only 350 known to exist in the wild. Thanks to the dedicated conservation efforts of our partners and private landowners this songbird has made an amazing recovery and is now being removed from the endangered species list.
Over the past 30 years, by working together and tackling conservation challenges for the vireos, we’ve been able to help them recover in numbers. There are now at least 5,200 known birds and estimated to be over 14,000. In a world where many wildlife numbers are dwindling, this is a #wildlifewin for America’s tiniest vireo.
Where Do Black-Capped Vireos Live?
Black-capped vireos are migratory birds and during the winter, they can be found on the western coastal states of Mexico, from southern Sonora to Guerrero. Vireos arrive on their breeding grounds from mid-March to mid-April, which extend from Oklahoma south through central Texas to the Edwards Plateau and northern Mexico.
Breeding habitat is variable across its range, but is generally shrub-lands with a distinctive patchy structure. The vegetation is mostly deciduous shrubs, including Spanish and shin oaks, with leaves extending to the ground which conceal their nests. Shrub height is irregular but on average could be described as from bootheel to hat. Open grassland separates the clumps of shrubs, which are known as shrub mottes.
Why Were They Listed?
The major threats to the black-capped vireo included habitat loss through land-use conversion, grazing and browsing by domestic and wild herbivores, and brood parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds. Goats were a primary browser in vireo habitat; however, since the species was listed in 1987, goats in their U.S. range have declined by 47%.
Cowbird management efforts greatly reduced the negative impact to the black-capped vireo populations. A big thanks goes to efforts by III Corps and Fort Hood, Fort Sill Army Base, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC), U.S. Department of Agriculture’s NRCS and private landowners.
>> Read the inspiring efforts of Fort Hood in protecting these birds.
Where CanYou See Them?
Black-capped vireos are residents of several national wildlife refuges and State Parks. Visit between late March to mid-April and stay until around September and you may just catch a glimpse of them!
Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge
What’s Next?
To ensure black-capped vireo populations remain healthy and stable into the future, the Service has developed a post delisting monitoring plan with the states of Texas and Oklahoma, Fort Hood, Fort Sill and The Nature Conservancy of Texas. The plan describes the methods we will use to monitor the status of the vireo and its habitat, in cooperation with our partners for a 12-year period and provides a strategy for identifying and responding to any future population declines or habitat loss.
Story updated: April 13, 2018
