Brown-backed solitaire facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brown-backed solitaire
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Turdidae
Genus:	Myadestes
Species:	M. occidentalis
Binomial name
Myadestes occidentalis Stejneger, 1882
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The brown-backed solitaire (scientific name: Myadestes occidentalis) is a cool bird that belongs to the thrush family. It's about 21 centimeters (8 inches) long, which is about the size of a small ruler. This bird is mostly gray, but it has brown feathers on its back and wings when it's sitting. It also has a white ring around its eye and white feathers in its tail.

Where Does the Brown-Backed Solitaire Live?

This bird is quite common in the mountains of Mexico and northern Central America. It likes to live in mountain forests where some trees lose their leaves in certain seasons. You can often find it in forests that have a mix of pine and oak trees, especially near streams.

Finding Solitaires in Arizona

Sometimes, these birds are seen outside their usual home. In July 2009, a group of young birdwatchers from a camp called Camp Chiricahua found a singing brown-backed solitaire in Miller Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, in southeastern Arizona. This was a very important discovery because it was the first time this bird was officially recorded in that area!

The young birders who found and documented this special bird included Benjamin Van Doren, Philippa Tanford, James Warren, Fer Farias, Ted Stiritz, Erich Lehner, Benjamin Vizzachero, Ethan Gyllenhaal, Megan O'Brien, Brian Magnier, and Vincent Pellegrino. Their leaders were Robert Day, Dave Jasper, and Rebekah McIntyre.

Later, in May 2011, another brown-backed solitaire was heard (but not seen) in Morse Canyon, Arizona. However, a wildfire made it impossible to find the bird again.

What Does the Brown-Backed Solitaire Sound Like?

The brown-backed solitaire is known for its beautiful song. It sounds like a flute or a bell, with notes that get faster and go down in pitch. It also has other sounds, like a squeaky, metallic call and a harsh alarm call if it senses danger.

About the Solitaire Family

The brown-backed solitaire is part of a group of birds called Myadestes. These birds are all closely related to other thrushes and share the common name "solitaire."