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Townsend's Solitaire

Myadestes townsendiOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Thrushes (Turdidae)
Townsend's Solitaire Breeding Male Head Illustration

Head

  • Bill Shape: All-purpose
  • Eye Color: Dark brown in all ages.
  • Head Pattern: Eyeline, Plain
  • Crown Color: Dark Gray
  • Forehead Color: Dark Gray
  • Nape Color: Dark Gray
  • Throat Color: Gray
  • Cere color: No Data
Townsend's Solitaire Breeding Male Body Illustration

Body

  • Length Range: 20-23 cm (8-9 in)
  • Weight: 34 g (1.2 oz)
  • Size: Size 2. Small (5 - 9 in)
  • Color: White, Black, Gray, Buff
  • Underparts: Gray
  • Upperparts: Dark Gray
  • Back Pattern: Solid
  • Belly Pattern: Solid
  • Breast Pattern: Solid
Townsend's Solitaire Breeding Male Flight Illustration

Flight

  • Flight Pattern: Rather slow flight; several slow wing beats followed by short glides. Often irregular in flight pattern, changing direction quickly.
  • Wingspan Range: 33-37 cm (13-14.5 in)
  • Wing Shape: Pointed-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Forked Tail
  • Tail Pattern: Solid
  • Upper Tail: Dark Gray
  • Under Tail: White
  • Leg Color: Black
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Family Thrush (Turdidae)_blue
Species Myadestes townsendi
Length8 - 9 Inches
Wingspan13.75 Inches

Townsend's Solitaire

Townsend's Solitaire: Small thrush, gray overall and slightly darker above. Eye-ring is thin and white. The wings have pale rust-brown patches and black flight feathers. Outer tail feathers are white. Perches upright and remains still for long periods of time and is easily overlooked.

● Song: "tew", "eek", "whee"

● Foraging & Feeding: Townsend's Solitaire: Feeds on various insects and worms in summer; winter diet consists principally of juniper berries; forages on the ground.

● Breeding & nesting: Townsend's Solitaire: Three to eight pale blue eggs, occasionally flecked with red brown, are laid in a nest made of grass, roots, and moss, lined with fine materials, and built on the ground sheltered by overhanging branches, rocks, or other natural overhangs. Eggs are incubated for 14 days mostly by the female.

● Similar species: Townsend's Solitaire: Northern Mockingbird is paler gray overall, has two white wing-bars, white wing patch, faint eyestripe and longer bill. Female Mountain Bluebird has shorter tail, blue on wings and tail, and lacks buff in wings.

Flight Pattern

Rather slow flight; several slow wing beats followed by short glides. Often irregular in flight pattern, changing direction quickly.
Townsend's Solitaire Breeding Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Townsend's Solitaire: Breeds in mountains from Alaska to the Northwest Territories, and from British Columbia to South Dakota, California, and central Mexico. Spends winters from southern Canada southward, usually at lower elevations in breeding range. Also ranges eastward to Nebraska. In summer, frequents montane coniferous forests around 3,000 feet below the timberline; in winter, descends to canyons with open juniper forests on lower slopes.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationFairly common, Casual to rare in winter
MigrationMigratory
Weight1.2 Ounces