Blue Rock Thrush

Male
Photo by Jamie MacArthur
Lesvos , April 2009

Monticola solitarius

Identification

21-23cm

• Blue-grey plumage
• Dark wings
  

Female and immature

• Dark brown upperparts
• Pale brown scaly underparts

Female
Photo by Jamie MacArthur
Location:Lesvos, April 2009

Distribution

Southern Europe, north-western Africa (wintering to north-eastern and central Africa), Siberia to central Asia to northern China and Malaysia.

Taxonomy

Subspecies^[1]

There are 5 subspecies:

• M. s. solitarius:

• Southern Europe, north-western Africa and Middle East; winters to central Africa

• M. s. longirostris:

• Northern Iraq and Iran to Pakistan; winters to northern India and north-eastern Africa

• M. s. pandoo:

• Central Asia and Himalayas; winters to Malaysia and Indonesia

• M. s. philippensis:

• South-eastern Siberia to China, Japan and Lan-yü Island; winters to Indonesia

• M. s. madoci:

• Malay Peninsula and Sumatra

Habitat

Fairly conspicuous on exposed rocky slopes, road cuts even through forests, open areas including parks, and along rocky streams and rivers (on wintering grounds).

Behaviour

Breeding

It nests in rock cavities and walls. The clutch consists of 3-5 eggs.

Diet

The diet includes lizards, insects and berries.

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Monticola solitarius (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Avibase
3. Wikipedia

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Blue Rock Thrush. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue_Rock_Thrush

External Links

Search for photos of Blue Rock Thrush in the gallery

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