Brown-backed Solitaire

The brown-backed solitaire is 20.5 to 21.5 cm (8.1 to 8.5 in) long and weighs 38 to 44 g (1.3 to 1.6 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies M. o. occidentalis have black lores with a white stripe above them, a broken white eye-ring, a white "moustache" stripe, black cheeks, and a white chin and upper throat on an otherwise dull darkish gray head. Their upper back is dull darkish gray that becomes olive-rufous on the rump and tail; the outer tail feathers have white tips. Their scapulars and the edges of their wing feathers are a richer rusty brown. Voice: One description of the brown-backed solitaire's song is "highly ventriloquial, a hesitantly starting, slowly descending sweet whistling, accelerating into squeaky, metallic jangling, jumbled crescendo". Its calls include a "metallic, slightly whining, upslurred wheeu or yeeh" and its alarm call is a "nasal rasping shiehh".