Migration is in full swing in North America at this point, so it’s a great time to be a bird enthusiast. Although I’m seeing some migrants coming through, I’m also noticing some of our summer breeders fattening up for that long trip south. That’s what this handsome red eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus) was up to when I caught it in a beautyberry bush. These birds summer in much of the United States and Canada, where they produce two clutches of eggs each year. During that time, they are almost entirely insectivorous and are especially fond of caterpillars and beetles. They nest and forage high in the tree tops and tend to be very hard to spot. They are strong singers, though, so it’s easy to know that they’re around. After they finish breeding, they move down out of the tree tops and become almost 100% frugivores. Around here they love the beautyberries and poke berries and when they reach their South American wintering grounds they eat tamanquerio and gumbo-limbo fruits among others. Interestingly, this species is one that is always migratory, and none except some possible vagrants stay in the northern hemisphere during winter. Fortunately, this species has no issues with living near humans and can be found anywhere from the boreal forests of western Canada to city parks in the Deep South. This adaptability and its wide range has made it a species of least concern.