Rufous-throated Solitaire

[njlarsen]

The Solitaire is found on two of the Greater Antilles (Jamaica and Hispanola), and in the Lesser Antilles it is found in Dominica, Martinique, St Lucia, and St Vincent, accoording to Raffaele et al. I have just visited St Vincent, where I saw the much brighter version they have there; what I was unprepared for was that the voice was different from the sounds I am used to here in Dominica. Someone mentioned that there are people who believe that the St Vincent version is a different species: does anyone know if there have been anyone looking at this species and if any papers actually have proposed a split?

I have not visited Jamaica or Hispanola, and can therefore not comment if the solitaire there is any different from the Lesser Antillean form(s).

thanks
Niels

[Xenospiza]

It was treated as an "Incipient species" in one of the original Sibley and Monroe lists I found on the net (most likely because of its plumage), but my books have no further info.