SIERRA NEVADA BIRDS – FEATHERS IN THE RANGE OF LIGHT Blog Post #23
California’s “Range of Light” is home to a diverse array of both colorful and cryptic birds (the feathers). It is my intent to use my passion for birds and photography to paint a story about 120 of the most common or most sought-after Sierra Nevada (Range of Light) birds by most nature enthusiasts.
Sierra Nevada Birds – Feathers in the Range of Light is a Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
WHAT’S IN A NAME
Cassin’s Vireo – Vireo cassinii
Name Roots: (L. vireo, “a small bird” [possibly the greenfinch] – for John Cassin)
This vireo is named after the ornithologist John Cassin. John Cassin (September 6, 1813 – January 10, 1869) was an American ornithologist from Pennsylvania. He worked as curator and Vice President at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences and focused on the systemic classification of the Academy’s extensive collection of birds. He was one of the founders of the Delaware County Institute of Science and published several books describing 194 new species of birds. Five species of North American birds, a cicada and a mineral are named in his honor.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The Cassin’s Vireo is a small (4–6 inches) grayish-olive songbird with a gray head and back. It has whitish underparts with yellowish flanks, solid white “spectacles” and white wing bars.
DISTRIBUTION & OCCURRENCE IN THE SIERRA NEVADA
The Cassin’s Vireo is a Common Summer Visitor of the Sierra Nevada in the Lower and Upper Montane biotic zones.
CONSERVATION STATUS – IUCN Red List Category
The Cassin’s Vireo (CAVI) is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Redlist Classification Justification: This species has an extremely large range, the population trend appears to be increasing, and the population size is extremely large. For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. (DataZone CAVI Link)
PLAYING WITH PHOTOSHOP – Accented Edges Filter
Reflections of the Natural World 
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