Blue Rock-thrush

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Blue Rock Thrush
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae Genus: Monticola Species: M. solitarius
Binomial name
Monticola solitarius (Linnaeus, 1758, Oriente [ =Italy ])

The Blue Rock Thrush or Blue Rock-Thrush (Monticola solitarius) is a member of the thrush family (Turdidae).

This species breeds in southern Europe and northwest Africa, and from central Asia to northern China and Malaysia.

The European, north African and southeast Asian birds are mainly resident, apart from altitudinal movements. Other Asian populations are more migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa, India and southeast Asia. This bird is a very uncommon visitor to northern and western Europe.

Blue Rock Thrush breeds in open mountainous areas, usually higher than the breeding zone of the related Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush. It nests in rock cavities and walls, and usually lays 3-5 eggs. An omnivore, the Blue Rock Thrush eats a wide variety of insects in addition to berries.

This is a largish thrush, 21-23cm in length with a long slim bill. The summer male is unmistakable, with all blue-grey plumage apart from its darker wings. Females and immatures are much less striking, with dark brown upperparts, and paler brown scaly underparts. Both sexes lack the reddish outer tail feathers of Rock Thrush.

The male Blue Rock Thrush sings a clear, melodious call that is similar to, but louder than the call of the Rock Thrush.

The Blue Rock Thrush is Malta's national bird and is shown on the Lm 1 coins of the country.

Public domain image from a 1905 field guide

[edit] References

• BirdLife International (2004). Monticola solitarius. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 9 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

[edit] External links

• Blue Rock Thrush videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Blue Rock Thrush from Turkey
• Ageing and sexing (PDF) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta

[edit] Gallery

pandoo race- Breeding plummaged Male at Jayanti in Buxa Tiger Reserve in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India.	pandoo race- Female at Jayanti in Buxa Tiger Reserve in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India.	pandoo race- Female at Jayanti in Buxa Tiger Reserve in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India.	pandoo race- Female at Jayanti in Buxa Tiger Reserve in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India.
pandoo race- Female at Jayanti in Buxa Tiger Reserve in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India.	pandoo race- Female at Jayanti in Buxa Tiger Reserve in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India.	Wintering Blue Rock Thrush female, Bangalore, India