From Opus

Male
Photo by Jamie MacArthur
Lesvos , April 2009

Monticola solitarius

[edit] 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

[edit] Distribution

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

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] 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

[edit] 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).

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

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

[edit] Diet

The diet includes lizards, insects and berries.

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] 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

[edit] External Links