Townsend's Solitaire

Townsend's Solitaire is a subtly elegant thrush relative of the western mountains, plain gray overall but with a graceful, slender build, a long tail, and a bold white eyering that give it a distinctive silhouette even at a distance. It often perches upright and motionless on an exposed branch or fence post, behaving more like a flycatcher than a typical thrush.

In winter the species becomes closely tied to juniper trees, aggressively defending individual trees loaded with berries as a food source through the cold months, a behavior that makes it one of the more territorial berry-eating birds in North America.

Key field marks

• Overall plain gray plumage
• Bold white eyering
• Buffy patch in the wing, visible in flight
• White outer tail feathers
• Slim build, long tail, upright posture

Similar species

Northern Mockingbird is superficially similar in gray coloration but has a shorter tail, bold white wing patches visible in flight that differ in shape, and a very different, more animated foraging style. Townsend's Solitaire's slimmer shape, longer tail, and quiet, still perching habits help distinguish it.

Habitat

During the breeding season, Townsend's Solitaires favor open coniferous forest on mountain slopes, often near rocky outcrops or cliffs. In winter they shift to lower elevations, especially areas with abundant juniper trees.

Range

The species breeds throughout much of the mountainous western United States and western Canada, from the Rockies to the Pacific ranges, and winters at lower elevations across much of the same broad region, sometimes wandering farther east.

Migration

Townsend's Solitaires make elevational migrations rather than long-distance latitudinal ones, moving from high mountain breeding grounds down to lower-elevation juniper woodlands for winter, where they may hold individual feeding territories.

Behavior

During the breeding season, solitaires forage by flycatching and gleaning insects from the ground and vegetation. In winter, they switch heavily to juniper berries and other fruit, and individuals often aggressively defend a single berry-laden tree against other birds for the entire winter.

Voice

The song is a long, complex, warbling series of notes, delivered from a high perch and sometimes continuing for extended periods; the call is a distinctive, clear, bell-like single note.

Nesting

Nests are placed on the ground or in a sheltered niche such as a rocky bank, cliff crevice, or amid tree roots, often on steep slopes. Females lay 3-4 pale blue-gray eggs marked with dark spots.