Birds of North Carolina
their Distribution and Abundance
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
VIREONIDAE Members: Eastern Warbling-Vireo 439
General Comments
The Eastern Warbling-Vireo, along with the Red-eyed Vireo, has the most extensive breeding range of any vireo in North America. It breeds from coast to coast, though North Carolina lies along the southeastern edge of the range. As with most other vireos, it winters completely south of the United States. It has an unusual migration route in spring and fall: despite nesting in northern VA and northeast to the Canadian Maritimes, in migration it mostly stays west of the state, migrating around the western end of the Gulf of Mexico rather than over it. It is thus a "once-a-decade" find for most observers east of the mountains, during migration. Warblings nest mostly in our mountain valleys, usually in tall groves and riverside hardwoods, such as along the New River and forks, and the French Broad River. Away from the mountains, a few pairs nest in similar hardwood groves, mostly near water. As with the Philadelphia Vireo, sightings in migration seem to be clearly increasing since 2020, perhaps indicating a true population increase.

In summer 2025, the American Ornithological Society split the Warbling Vireo into an Eastern species and a Western species. Ours in NC retain the same scientific name -- V. gilvus -- but the new common name is Eastern Warbling-Vireo; note the hyphen in the last word.

Breeding Status
Breeder
NC BRC List
Definitive
State Status
SR
U.S. Status
Definitive
State Rank
S2B
Global Rank
G5
Coastal Plain
Transient, and possible accidental breeder. Very rare in both spring and fall. Records are increasing in recent years, though this might be due to more birding effort. From mid-Apr to late May (mostly in early to mid-May) and early Sep to mid-Oct; casual in winter. A few birds singing on territory have appeared sporadically since 1986 at several sites near the Roanoke River in Halifax; however, no conclusive nesting has been found. A winter report of one at Roanoke Island in Dec 2000 - Jan 2001* (Chat 66:4) is remarkable; details were provided to the NC BRC. Another was seen in Point Harbor (Currituck) on the very late date of 13 Dec 2017 (Chat 82:71). One was photographed at Pettigrew SP (Washington) on 10 Dec 2022 (Chat 87:41), and another was photographed at Pea Island NWR on 5 Dec 2023. There is another unusual report of three birds in Wilmington on 25 Mar 1959, which was likely an incorrect identification -- out of range, a month early, and three birds is simply implausible. One seen at Hatteras Point (Dare) was extremely rare on 1 May 2025 along the southern Outer Banks. Peak counts: a remarkable 4, assuming all correct and different, Nags Head Woods (Dare), 15 Sep 2022; 2 on about four dates.
Piedmont
Transient (mainly in spring), and scarce summer resident. In spring, rare in the western half, and very rare in the eastern half; in fall, casual to now very rare across the province. In summer, very rare and inexplicably local (habitat is widespread), with recent nesting records from Cabarrus, Forsyth, Orange, and Wake (Chat 68:122), (Chat 73:124-25), (Chat 76:112). Three singing males were found in Catawba in mid-May 2010, suggestive of nesting; records at this site have continued into 2013. Recent summer records from Guilford, where presumed to nest; and a pair suspected of nesting in northwestern Alamance (2014). As many as two singing birds were at Raleigh in the latter part of May 2020, joined by a third non-singing bird from 20-30 June -- suggestive of nesting; and similar numbers returned to this site in 2021, still without conclusive nesting evidence. In spring and summer 2024-25, two singing birds (and at least one female) were on territory along the Cape Fear River in southeastern Chatham, remaining at least well into Jul, but no definite nesting evidence was reported. Primarily late Apr to mid-May, and mid-Sep to early Oct. Peak counts:
Mountain
Summer resident and transient. Uncommon in summer in the New River area of Ashe and Alleghany; rare and very local farther south in valleys, to the French Broad River (Buncombe and Henderson). Otherwise, a rare transient, at low elevations (below 3,000 feet). Mainly late Apr to late Sep, with migrants mainly in the first half of May, and the middle of Sep. Peak counts:
Finding Tips
Though a scarce bird in the state, driving roads that parallel or cross the South Fork New River, within a few miles of the confluence with the North Fork, as well as doing the same along the New below the confluence, should produce a few birds in summer.