General

Townsend's Solitaire: Small thrush, gray overall and slightly darker above. Eye-ring is thin and white. Wings have pale rust-brown patches. Outer tail feathers are white. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has heavy white spotting on upperparts and underparts.

Range and Habitat

Townsend's Solitaire: Breeds in mountains from Alaska to the Northwest Territories, from British Columbia to South Dakota, California, and central Mexico. Winters from southern Canada southward. In summer, frequents montane coniferous forests around 3,000 feet below the timberline; in winter, descends to canyons with open juniper forests on lower slopes.

Breeding and Nesting

Townsend's Solitaire: Three to eight pale blue eggs, occasionally flecked with red brown, are laid in a nest made of grass, roots, and moss, lined with fine materials, and built on the ground sheltered by overhanging branches, rocks, or other natural overhangs. Eggs are incubated for 14 days mostly by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Townsend's Solitaire: Feeds on various insects and worms in summer; winter diet consists principally of juniper berries; forages on the ground.

Readily Eats

Raisins, Currants, Nut Meal

Vocalization

Townsend's Solitaire: Song is a long and complex series of clear warbling notes. Call is a high-pitched, ringing "tew", squeaking "eek", or a melancholic, whistled "whee."

Similar Species

Townsend's Solitaire: Northern Mockingbird is paler gray overall, has two white wing-bars, white wing patch, faint eyestripe and longer bill. Female Mountain Bluebird has shorter tail, blue on wings and tail, and lacks buff in wings.