Image of Hutton's Vireo

Description:

In Texas, Hutton's Vireo is a common breeder in the mountains of far west Texas such as the Chisos, the Davis and the Guadalupes. Beginning in 1990, increasing numbers of this species have been found to the east in the Texas Hill Country and nesting has been documented in at least 3 or 4 counties just west of Austin and San Antonio. Austin is in Travis County and although there are a few records of the species in Travis Co.: http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/561272 we have never had documentation of nesting. A City of Austin biologist recently discovered a pair of Hutton's Vireos nest building on the west edge of the city in a preserve tract of land. My friend Mike and I were invited to try to get some shots of these birds to document the record. When the two biologists and Mike and I arrived, one of the birds (presumably the female?) was on the nest (which is in a large Cedar Elm) hunkered down low. It gave me the impression she was still incubating, but she could be brooding very small chicks as well. One of the biologists, based on her observations, thought the young should be hatched by now. We heard Hutton's Vireo song and other Hutton's call notes in the area several times. After 10-15 minutes we saw another Hutton’s Vireo approaching the nest carrying food. The bird on the nest hopped off and headed into the woods while the bird carrying food went directly to the nest. That bird leaned over and presumably fed a young chick as when it assumed a normal perch position again the food item it had been carrying was gone. We watched that bird lean over into the nest and pick up large pieces of egg shell, and take them away from the nest. With this behavior I suspect the chicks may have hatched this very morning, or were still in the process of breaking out of the eggs while we stood there. Of course, we could not see into the nest because of its height so that is speculation, but in my experience the adults will remove the egg shells very soon after hatching. We stood there a short time longer and I took a few more shots to document the nesting record but then we left so as not to disturb the birds with their tiny chicks any longer. I plan to go back in several days when the chicks will be larger. Anyway, this is the first documented Travis County nesting of Hutton’s Vireo (although I very strongly suspect it has nested here in the past, just not documented). This is preserve land, not open to the public, so I have been intentionally vague about the mapping, but the nest is within the accuracy circle shown. By the way, I was hoping to ensure that the egg shells we saw were indeed Hutton’s Vireo and not a nest parasite such as Brown-headed Cowbird. The Hutton’s Vireo eggs are described in various sources as “white with a few small brown dots” while Brown-headed Cowbird eggs are more tinted blue and more heavily mottled overall. I think this pair has baby Hutton’s Vireos which is great. I have posted 6 shots of the Hutton's in various postures and views including a shot of an adult with an egg shell.