In this article I’ll be going over 5 green birds that can be found all throughout the state of West Virginia so continue reading for a more detailed look at each bird below.

• Green Heron 
• Red Eyed Vireo 
• Ruby Throated Hummingbird
• Mallard 
• Black Throated Green Warbler 

5 Green Birds In West Virginia

1. Green Heron (Butorides Virescens)

• Size: 40 – 44cm
• Weight: 230 – 250 grams
• Wingspan: 54 – 58cm

You’ll find green herons in West Virginia throughout their breeding season. They will typically stick around in the state when it’s spring and summer months. 

These heron’s are recognised by their darker green back and wings, maroon chest and neck, with yellow legs and a relatively long and pointy black beak. Females on the other hand are mostly brown and gray in color.

Green herons tend to spend the majority of their time around wetlands like lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, streamsides and rivers. 

As for what they consume, it includes a variety of different sources such as small fish like minnows, sunfishes, gizzard shads, crustaceans, aquatic insects, frogs, tadpoles, grasshoppers, snakes, earthworms, snails and other smaller rodents.

Green herons don’t have the longest of lifespans for a bird of their size, with the maximum known life expectancy said to be around 8 years.

2. Red Eyed Vireo (Vireo Olivaceus)

• Size: 11 – 13cm
• Weight: 20 – 24 grams
• Wingspan: 23 – 25cm

Red eyed vireos are spring and summer residents all throughout West Virginia, which also would be the months that they tend to breed.

These vireos are recognised by there green feathers from the head, wings and back, white feathers on their breast and the stand out red eye. The females look very similar to the males.

As for where you’ll often see these birds perching or flying around, it would include environments with large expanses of deciduous forest, particularly deciduous trees with large leaves, like maple trees for example. 

Red eyed vireos tend to eat mostly insects like caterpillars, moths, beetles, wasps, bees, ants, bugs, flies, as well as the occasional fruit and berry.

Red eyed vireos tend to live for around 6 – 7 years, whilst the oldest recorded one died at 10 years and 2 months.

3. Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus Colubris)

• Size: 7 – 9cm
• Weight: 2 – 6 grams
• Wingspan: 8 – 11cm

Ruby throated hummingbirds are spring and summer residents within West Virginia, which is also when these hovering birds tend to breed.

A ruby throated hummingbird can be recognised by their plumage that is red, white and green. Their throat is the red part, its breast/stomach white in color and their wings and back an emerald green color. Females are mostly white and green in color.

As for what they eat, it ranges from small insects, fruits, sugar water from feeders, tree sap and of course the nectar produced by blooming flowers.

Ruby throated hummingbirds tend to stay near environments with flowerbeds as these birds have a very strong metabolism that requires them to feed multiple times per hour. Therefore, you can find them in fields, parks, backyards, and open clearings in forests.

As for how long these tiny little hummingbirds can live for, it’s known to be around 3 – 5 years on average with the longest recorded lifespan just short of 7 years.

4. Mallard (Anas Platyrhynchos)

• Size: 50 – 65cm
• Weight: 0.72 – 1.6kg
• Wingspan: 81 – 98cm

Mallards can be spotted in West Virginia on a year round basis. 

You’ll be able to recognise mallards by their dark, iridescent green head, brown neck, brown stripes upon the upper level of the wing with the remainder of their body a cream/white color. Females on the other hand are a mostly light brown patterned color with both male and females having orange webbed feet.

Mallards prefer calm, shallow sanctuaries, but can be found in almost any body of freshwater, which can include wetlands, saltwater and brackish water.

These ducks tend mostly to consume seeds, acorns and berries, plants, insects and shellfish.

In regards to lifespan, these mallards are known to live for around 5 – 10 years in the wild.

5. Black Throated Green Warbler (Setophaga Virens)

• Size: 11 – 12cm
• Weight: 7 – 11 grams
• Wingspan: 17 – 20cm

Black throated green warblers can be found in the majority of West Virginia when breeding and the remainder of the state when migrating. 

These birds are recognised by their yellow and green head, and upper back, gray wings, black throat and white belly/breast with a green hue. Females look much the same but, have a duller color palate and the black throat is mostly gray/white for them.

You’ll often find these little birds around a wide variety of forest habitats like conifer forests or mixed hardwood forests as well as cypress swamps on occasion. 

They eat mainly insects, smaller fruits, berries or the buds of cecropia trees.

Black throated green warblers are known to live for around 2 – 4 years on average with the longest living one reaching 5 years and 11 months.