Rufous-throated Solitaire
Myadestes genibarbis
The Rufous-throated Solitaire (Myadestes genibarbis) is a rare thrush found in 7 countries, weighing about 29 g. The rufous-throated solitaire is a species of bird in the family Turdidae, the thrushes.
About the Rufous-throated Solitaire
The rufous-throated solitaire is a species of bird in the family Turdidae, the thrushes. It is found Jamaica, Hispaniola, and in the Lesser Antilles islands of Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The rufous-throated solitaire is 19 to 20.5 cm (7.5 to 8.1 in) long and weighs 24 to 30 g (0.85 to 1.1 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies M. g. genibarbis have a slate-gray crown, a white crescent below the eye, and a dark malar stripe on an otherwise orange-flecked face. Their upperparts are slate-gray. Their wings are slate-gray with black primary coverts, black bases on the secondaries, white bases on the inner primaries, and pale edges on the flight feathers. Their tail is mostly slate-gray with whitish outer feathers. Voice: The rufous-throated solitaire sings mostly at dawn, a "hauntingly beautiful minor key whistle". The song is a highly ventriloquial "first note low, second high, third low, interspersed with ringing double note". Its calls include a "single long toot" that sounds like a distant car horn.
What the Rufous-throated Solitaire sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, July, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Rufous-throated Solitaire?
- The rufous-throated solitaire is 19 to 20.5 cm (7.5 to 8.1 in) long and weighs 24 to 30 g (0.85 to 1.1 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Rufous-throated Solitaire?
- The Rufous-throated Solitaire is a small sized bird weighing about 29 g.
- Where can you see a Rufous-throated Solitaire?
- The Rufous-throated Solitaire occurs in 7 countries, including Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, Martinique and Dominica.
- What does a Rufous-throated Solitaire sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Rufous-throated Solitaire on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Rufous-throated Solitaire?
- The Rufous-throated Solitaire is most easily confused with the Cuban Solitaire, the Varied Solitaire and the Puaiohi.
- Is the Rufous-throated Solitaire endangered?
- The Rufous-throated Solitaire is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Rufous-throated Solitaire for real
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