Justification of Red List category
This species is classified as Near Threatened because forest within its small range is being lost through clearance for plantations and farming. However, the range is not yet severely fragmented or restricted to a few locations.
Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but this species is described as 'uncommon' (Stotz et al. 1996).
Trend justification
There are no data on population trends; however, habitat loss and degradation within the species range is suspected to be causing a slow to moderate decline and range contraction.
Vireo osburni is endemic to Jamaica where it is uncommon; however it occurs singly and is secretive, so may conversely be largely overlooked (BirdLife Jamaica in litt. 1998). It occurs widely in upland forest, such as in the Blue and John Crow Mountains, Cockpit Country and Mt. Diablo (Downer and Sutton 1990, Stattersfield et al. 1998).
Blue Mountain Vireo inhabits humid and moist montane limestone forest (Brewer 2018). The species has also been found in upland woodland and shaded coffee plantations, suggesting some tolerance of habitat degradation (Bond 1982, Haynes et al. 1989, Brewer 2018).
Widespread habitat destruction has resulted in significant range contractions (Bond 1982, Haynes et al. 1989). Habitat loss has been primarily caused by the establishment of plantations (mostly coffee and Caribbean pine Pinus caribaea), the logging of trees for charcoal-burning, fires, small-scale farming and clearance for development (Dinerstein et al. 1995, Brewer 2018).
Conservation Actions Underway
It occurs in a number of protected areas.
Text account compilers
O'Brien, A., Hermes, C., Sharpe, C.J., Wege, D., Capper, D., Mahood, S., Ashpole, J
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Blue Mountain Vireo Vireo osburni. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/blue-mountain-vireo-vireo-osburni on 27/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 27/12/2024.