TIMING OF MIGRATION AND STATUS OF VIREOS (VIREONIDAE) IN LOUISIANA

Data are presented on the status of the vireos (Vireonidae) that occur in Louisiana. Based primarily on year-round surveys at coastal sites in southwestern Louisiana and censuses at an inland site in central Lo uisiana, data on timing of migration are presented for White-eyed (Vir eo griseus), Solitary (V. solitarius), Yellow-throated (V. flavifrons) , Philadelphia (V. philadelphicus), and Red-eyed (V. olivaceus) vireos . In general, migrant vireos in spring are much more common on the coa st than inland, whereas the reverse is true in fall. Bell's Vireo (V. bellii) has been recorded in 12 times in southern Louisiana between 4 November and 22 January; this represents a substantial portion of all late fall/early winter records from eastern North America. No document ed records exist of Yellow-throated Vireo from early November to early March for Louisiana, or probably elsewhere in the Gulf Coast region, despite numerous published sight records. Warbling Vireo (V. gilvus) h as declined dramatically as a breeding species in Louisiana for unknow n reasons; there have been almost no reports of breeding birds for thr ee decades. Two specimens of the subspecies V. g. swainsonii from west ern North America have been collected in Louisiana, one of which is th e first winter specimen of the species for eastern North America. One specimen of White-eyed Vireo from Louisiana is V. griseus micrus, this represents the first record of this taxon north of southern Texas. On e of the three Louisiana specimen records for Bell's Vireo is of a sub species (V. b. medius) from the southwestern USA and north-central Mex ico. One specimen record of Solitary Vireo from Louisiana is a distinc tive subspecies (V. s. plumbeus) from western North America. A specime n of Yellow-green Vireo (V. flavoviridis) from Louisiana evidently is just the second documented record for the eastern United States. Two o f 12 Louisiana specimens of Black-whiskered Vireos (V. altiloquus) are of the nominate subspecies (from the Greater Antilles), for which the re was only one previous record for the United States.