# Townsend's Solitaire (*Myadestes townsendi*) Townsend's Solitaire is a beautiful bird that loves to sing sweet songs in the forests. With its gray feathers and bright orange patches, it can be spotted hopping around on the ground or perched on branches. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Townsend's Solitaire](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/TownsendsSolitaire.jpg&width=800) Photo: Polinova, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TownsendsSolitaire.jpg) ## Appearance The Townsend's Solitaire is a slender, medium-sized gray bird with a distinctive white eye-ring. It has subtle buffy patches on its wings and white outer tail feathers visible in flight, setting it apart from other drab forest birds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Turdidae - **Genus:** Myadestes ## Interesting facts - A Townsend's Solitaire will guard its winter berry bush all by itself! - Even in heavy snow, they find juniper berries hidden under the drifts! - They sing beautiful, flute-like songs that echo through mountain forests! - This bird often uses small stones in its gizzard to grind up tough berries! ## Special abilities - **Acrobatic Hunter:** Townsend's Solitaire can snatch flying insects mid-air because of its agile flight, helping them catch fast-moving prey. - **Berry Master:** Townsend's Solitaire has a special digestive system that helps them thrive on juniper berries, even in winter. - **Melody Weaver:** Townsend's Solitaire can sing a complex, flute-like song that helps them communicate and attract mates across their territory. - **Food Defender:** Townsend's Solitaire has a strong territorial instinct that helps them fiercely protect winter berry patches from other birds. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 20-24 cm - **Wingspan:** 35-40 cm - **Weight:** 0.025-0.036 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-6 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 12-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 800 km ## Diet & Feeding These birds eat insects in summer and switch to a diet of berries, especially juniper, in winter. - **Age differences:** Young birds are fed mostly insects by their parents to help them grow quickly. - **Primary Foods:** Juniper berries, Flies, Wasps, Beetles, Other small fruits - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Rocky Mountain Juniper](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rocky-mountain-juniper) (*Juniperus scopulorum*) — Feeds heavily on its berries, especially in winter. - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — Predatory birds that hunt smaller songbirds. - **Shelter:** [Engelmann Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/engelmann-spruce) (*Picea engelmannii*) — Provides nesting and roosting sites in its branches. - **Eats:** Mountain Pine Beetle (*Dendroctonus ponderosae*) — Forages for various forest insects, including beetles. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Townsend's Solitaire? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Townsend's Solitaire? 20-24 cm ### What is Townsend's Solitaire's wingspan? 35-40 cm ### How much does Townsend's Solitaire weigh? 0.025-0.036 kg ### How long does Townsend's Solitaire live? 3-6 years ### How fast can Townsend's Solitaire move? 45 km/h ### What does Townsend's Solitaire eat? These birds eat insects in summer and switch to a diet of berries, especially juniper, in winter. ### Where is Townsend's Solitaire usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Bryce Canyon Lodge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bryce-canyon-lodge-historic-district) — Utah, US · Historic District - [Bryce Canyon National Park Scenic Trails Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bryce-canyon-national-park-scenic-trails-historic-district) — Utah, US · Trail - [Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gibraltar-rock-state-natural-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park - [Ice Age Trail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ice-age-trail) — Wisconsin, US · National Park - [Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lassen-volcanic-national-park-highway-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Silverton Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/silverton-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District [View all places to see Townsend's Solitaire](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/townsends-solitaire) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Townsend's Solitaire: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/townsends-solitaire)