Townsend's solitaire

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title: "Townsend's solitaire" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["myadestes", "native-birds-of-alaska", "native-birds-of-western-canada", "native-birds-of-the-western-united-states", "birds-of-mexico", "birds-described-in-1838", "taxa-named-by-john-james-audubon"] description: "Species of bird" topic_path: "geography/canada" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townsend's_solitaire" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Species of bird ::

| image = TownsendsSolitaire.jpg | image_caption = | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = | genus = Myadestes | species = townsendi | authority = (Audubon, 1838) | range_map = Myadestes townsendi map.svg

Townsend's solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) is a medium-sized thrush, the only solitaire native to America north of Mexico.

Range and habitat

This solitaire ranges from southern Alaska, British Columbia and Alberta to northern Zacatecas in Mexico, preferring montane woodlands. During winter, it may move in search of food to lower elevations, including the Great Plains, northern interior Mexico, and even desert oases.

Description

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Townsends-solitaire-lake-vadnais-3.jpg" caption="Townsend's solitaire feeding on juniper berries"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Myadestes_townsendi,_Mt_Ashland_Road,_Oregon_1.jpg" caption="''Myadestes townsendi'', [[Ashland, Oregon]], June 2014"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Myadestes_townsendiDF09N193CB.jpg" caption="Townsend's solitaire by [[Louis Agassiz Fuertes"] ::

Townsend's solitaire reaches a length of approximately 8 – and wingspan of 14.5 in; it weighs approximately 1.2 oz. It has a short, thick, blackish bill; a white eye ring; and gray plumage with a buffy wing stripe and edges of the flight feathers. The tail is long, tapered when shut, and edged with white. Juveniles are mottled gray and white.

It perches in a rather upright position, often high on a branch and often staying still for a long time.

Though it has some similarities to the northern mockingbird, particularly as to the tail, its dark underparts, shape, size, and behavior are not similar.

It feeds primarily on berries and insects.

Voice

Its song consists of loud, melodious flute-like rising and falling phrases with "low, husky notes interspersed but no distinct pattern" and "a slightly mechanical quality." The call is a squeaky eeek or "clear, soft whistle heeh".

Nesting

They nest on the ground in hollows under banks or crevices about roots of trees or fallen stumps, making a large, loosely constructed pile of weeds and trash, hollowed and lined with rootlets. The nest resembles that of other solitaires: a cup of fine plant material on or close to the ground. Townsend's solitaire usually lays three or four eggs that are grayish-white with brown dots or splotches concentrated at the larger end.

Etymology

The name of this bird commemorates the ornithologist John Kirk Townsend.

References

;General

References

1. BirdLife International.. (2021). "''Myadestes townsendi''".
2. Sibley, David. (2000). "[[The Sibley Guide to Birds]]". Knopf.
3. Howell, Steve N. G.. (1995). "A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America". Oxford University Press.
4. (2005). "Townsend's Solitaire ''Myadestes townsendi''". eNature.com Nature Guides.
5. Bock, C.. (1982). "Factors influencing winter distribution and abundance of Townsend's Solitaire". [[The Wilson Journal of Ornithology.
6. Chester A. Reed. (1914). "The Bird Book". Doubleday, Page & Co..

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::