Andean Solitaire
Myadestes ralloides
The Andean solitaire is 17 to 18 cm (6.7 to 7.1 in) long and weighs 25.5 to 37 g (0.90 to 1.3 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies M. r. ralloides have a dull grayish olive crown and black lores on an otherwise dull medium gray face. Their back, rump, and uppertail coverts are reddish brown. Their wings are reddish brown with dark tips on the primary coverts and dark bases on the secondaries. Their tail is reddish brown with white inner webs on the outer feathers. Their underparts are dull medium gray. They have a dusky bill and pale brown legs. Voice: The Andean solitaire sings from a hidden perch high in a tree, and mostly at dawn and dusk. The songs differ among the subspecies. On the Andes' western slope it is a "leisurely, loud, lilting series of well-spaced phrases consisting of pure, flute-like liquid notes, sometimes interspersed with more guttural, gurgling ones, tliii… liidl-ii… turdelii… triilii… lur-lur… iii-uuu…".
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Brown-backed Solitaire
Myadestes occidentalis
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".
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Andean Solitaire and Brown-backed Solitaire.