Black Faced Solitaire

Copyright: monacoeye • Panama, May 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Black Faced Solitaire
Latin: Myadestes melanops
Other:
Family: Turdidae • Thrushes
Range: Mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama

The high mountain forests above Los Quetzales in Chiriqui resound to the entrancing, mystical sounds of the Black-faced Solitaire. Listening to recordings on the internet doesn’t do the song justice (eg here), because the frequencies can’t be captured with recording equipment and mp3.

The closest description I could give would be an aeolian harp or someone playing “wine glasses” by rubbing a wet finger around the rims of half-filled glasses. It is a high-pitched sound which carries, but also rich with deep tones. This ethereal song transforms the forest into a place of mystery - the first time I heard it I couldn’t believe that a bird could be the origin.

Although its song is often heard, I only saw a Black-faced Solitaire once. It is differentiated from other thrushes by its orange bill and legs, with dark iris and no orange eye-ring. It is dark grey with some white on wing and black face. Pictured below is a tree-trunk in which it was making a nest.