Scientific name: Monticola solitarius (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bird group: Thrushes and allies
Field characters. 20 cm. Slightly larger than Rock Thrush and similar in structure, but somewhat bulkier and with longer tail. Male especially easy to identify, with complete plumage dark slate blue, except for black wings and tail. Female dark brown, barred buff below, with upperparts darker and more uniform than Rock Thrush, dark throat and dark (not orange) tail. Shy, like Rock Thrush.
Voice. Song simple, recalls Mistle Thrush, with short whistling strophes. Call 'chak', 'weet weet', or 'tsee'.
Distribution. Widespread, never common. Partly summer visitor or resident.
Habitat. More in bare rocky habitat than Rock Thrush, often on steep cliffs, also along coasts.
Food. Mainly invertebrates, but also some vertebrates and seeds. Like Rock Thrush, hunts from perch or chases prey with hops or short runs. Chases insects in flight and often hunts from rock like flycatcher.