The slaty-capped shrike-vireo is a species of bird in the family Vireonidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Region
Amazon Basin and Guiana Shield, extending into the Andean foothills of northern South America
Typical Environment
Occupies humid tropical forests across Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It favors mature terra firme and seasonally flooded (várzea) forests, as well as foothill and montane evergreen forests. Most activity is in the canopy and subcanopy, where it gleans among dense foliage. It may use forest edges and tall secondary growth but is most common in interior forest.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Despite its loud, ringing song, the slaty-capped shrike-vireo is notoriously hard to see because it forages high in the canopy. Its heavy, slightly hooked bill gives it a shrike-like look and helps subdue larger insects. It often travels in pairs or small family groups and may join mixed-species flocks. By eating both insects and small fruits, it contributes to insect control and seed dispersal in tropical forests.
Vireolanius leucotis Keulemans 1878
Temperament
secretive but vocal
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick, direct hops between canopy crowns
Social Behavior
Typically found in pairs or small family groups, sometimes accompanying mixed-species flocks in the canopy. Nests are likely cup-shaped and suspended from forked twigs, as in other vireos. Both sexes may participate in territory defense and parental care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Delivers clear, whistled phrases that carry far through the forest canopy, often repeated in measured sequences. Calls include sharp scolds and thin contact notes. Ventrioloquial qualities can make it hard to pinpoint the singer’s location.
Plumage
Olive-green upperparts with a contrasting slaty-gray crown and paler yellow-green underparts. The throat is whitish, blending to yellowish on the belly, with clean, crisp contrasts around the head. Feathers are smooth and compact, suited to canopy life.
Diet
Primarily consumes arthropods such as caterpillars, beetles, orthopterans, and spiders, which it gleans from foliage and twigs. Its strong, hooked bill helps pry prey from curled leaves and subdue larger insects. It also takes small berries and other soft fruits, especially when insect prey is less abundant.
Preferred Environment
Feeds mainly in the upper levels of humid forest, especially the canopy and subcanopy. Forages along leafy branch tips, vine tangles, and epiphyte-laden limbs, sometimes joining mixed flocks to exploit disturbed prey.
