Birdsong field guide
Cuban Solitaire
Myadestes elisabeth
An elusive montane thrush endemic to Cuba, renowned for possessing one of the most beautiful and ethereal songs in the Caribbean.
What it sounds like
A complex, haunting sequence of liquid, flute-like whistles and metallic, ringing notes.
Field notes
- It is considered the finest avian singer in Cuba, often referred to locally as the 'Ruiseñor'.
- The species is non-migratory and highly territorial, remaining in high-altitude forests year-round.
- Populations are geographically isolated between the western mogotes of Pinar del Río and the eastern mountains of the Sierra Maestra.
- It features a subtle white eye-ring and a thin bill, typical of the Myadestes genus.
- Its diet is specialized toward small drupes and berries, which it often gleans while hovering or perching.
Habitat
Dense montane broadleaf forests and limestone karst formations (mogotes).
Range
Endemic to the island of Cuba.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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