The Andean solitaire (Myadestes ralloides) is a species of bird in the family Turdidae, the thrushes. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Taxonomy and systematics
The Andean solitaire was originally described in 1840 as Muscipeta ralloides. It was later reassigned to its present genus Myadestes that had been erected in 1838. During the middle of the twentieth century several authors treated what are now the Andean solitaire, the black-faced solitaire (M. malanops), and varied solitaire (M. coloratus) as conspecific. They are not well differentiated and form a superspecies.
The Andean solitaire has these four subspecies:
M. r. plumbeiceps Hellmayr, 1921
M. r. candelae Meyer de Schauensee, 1947
M. r. venezuelensis Sclater, PL, 1856
M. r. ralloides (D'Orbigny, 1840)
A genetic study published in 2007 determined that some of the subspecies may deserve full species status. Based on that study and vocal differences, the Clements taxonomy recognizes three groups within the species: M. r. plumbeiceps and M. r. ralloides as single-species "groups" and M. r. candelae plus M. r. venezuelensis as the third group.
Description
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. Juveniles are similar to adults but with pale buff spots on the upperparts and dark stippling on the underparts.
Subspecies M. r. plumbeiceps has richer brown upperparts than the nominate with a gray crown and a dark yellow base to the...
