Myadestes melanops
The Black-faced Solitaire (Myadestes melanops) is a captivating songbird endemic to the montane cloud forests of Costa Rica and western Panama. This medium-sized thrush, measuring approximately 16-18 cm (6.3-7.1 in) in length and weighing around 27-32 g (1.0-1.1 oz), is characterized by its distinctive sooty-black face, slate-gray body, and a prominent, often incomplete, white eye-ring, which serves as a key identification mark. Its bill and legs are also blackish. Taxonomically, it belongs t...
Found primarily in humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, and their edges, typically at elevations ranging from 900 to 2,500 meters (3,000 to 8,200 feet) above sea level.
Mainly frugivorous, feeding on small berries and fruits from various montane trees and shrubs; also consumes a significant number of insects, primarily caught by sallying from perches.
Black-faced Solitaires are largely solitary and secretive, often heard more frequently than seen, especially at dawn and dusk when their haunting songs fill the forest. They are active during the day, foraging primarily in the understory and mid-story, often darting out from perches to catch flyi...
The Black-faced Solitaire is exclusively found in the humid highlands of lower Central America, specifically within Costa Rica and western Panama. Its breeding and resident range extends from the Tilarán and Guanacaste mountain ranges in northwestern Costa Rica, southward through the Cordillera C...
Least Concern
- The Black-faced Solitaire's song is often described as one of the most beautiful and complex avian vocalizations in Central America, characterized by its flute-like quality and melancholy tone. - Despite its stunning song, this bird is notoriously difficult to observe due to its secretive natur...