Show Notes
The Townsend’s Solitaire can be a very, very long winded bird. It may have the longest continuous song I’ve ever recorded.
To me this bird has always looked like someone had taken a Northern Mockingbird and made it thrush-shaped. It is a mostly-grey thrush with dark wings that can have a small flare of tan colour to them.
Its song can sound very finch-like, with a mix of warbles and abrupt changes in pitch.
At times, this bird will also sing while flying over its territory.
For this species in focus episode, I’ll be sharing recordings from the Fullerton Trail in 2025, and Gorge Creek Trail in 2026, as well as a brief we’ve heard already from Jumpingpound Demonstration forest in 2025.
Credits
Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.
Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter. The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062
Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.
Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support
More from Songbirding
While hiking the Fullerton Loop Trail I found a very cooperative Townsend’s Solitaire, at about the halfway point of the hike. For this episode, we’re going to listen to this long-winged songster, as well as many other songbird species here. Credits
Continuing the ascent of the Fullerton Loop Trail, I’m about to encounter the songs of Red-breast Nuthatches, Western Warbling-Vireos, and Townsend’s Solitaires. Credits
As I continue along the Fullerton Loop Trail, I’ll be encountering some Chipping Sparrows, Varied Thrush, Mountain Chickadees, and more.
The Fullerton Loop Trail is a half-day hike that gives expansive views over the Elbow Valley in Kananaskis Country. During my trip in early June of 2025, it was full of birdsong, even though the climate felt like winter was still holding on a slight bit.
The Varied Thrush is a striking species to look at, and a haunting one to hear.