blue rock thrush

Male indigo-blue, obscured by pale fringes in non-breeding and especially first-winter plumages. Female has bluish cast to slaty-brown upperparts, and buff scaling on underparts. Vagrant philippensis has rufous breast and belly birds in NE show a variable amount of red on vent and are presumably intergrades.

Breeds on open rocky slopes; winters in dry rocky areas.

Feed on a wide variety of insects, lizards, fruits and berries.

Short and repetitive song with fluty phrase, often with long pauses.

The blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius) is a species of chat. This thrush-like Old World flycatcher was formerly placed in the family Turdidae. It breeds in southern Europe northwest Africa and from central Asia to northern China and Malaysia. The blue rock thrush is the official national bird of Malta and was shown on the Lm 1 coins that were part of the country's former currency. The blue rock thrush is a starling-sized bird 21&ndash23 cm (8.3&ndash9.1 in) in length with a long slim bill. The breeding male of the nominate subspecies is unmistakable with all blue-grey plumage apart from its darker wings. Females and immatures are much less striking with dark brown upperparts and paler brown scaly underparts. The male of the subspecies M. s. philippensis has rufous-chestnut plumage from the mid-breast down to the undertail. Both sexes lack the reddish outer tail feathers of rock thrush. The male blue rock thrush sings a clear melodious call that is similar to but louder than the call of the rock thrush. Blue rock thrush breeds in open mountainous areas. It nests in rock cavities and walls and usually lays 3-5 eggs. An omnivore the blue rock thrush eats a wide variety of insects and small reptiles in addition to berries and seeds.