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PASSERIFORMES 
Distinctions. The all-blueness of the adult male is unlike any other Canadian bird 
except the Indigo Bunting. It is considerably larger and has a tnrush-like instead of a 
sparrow bill. Females are distinctive from either of the other bluebirds by the absence 
of reddish on breast. Juveniles may be recognized by the paleness of the blue suggested 
on wings and tail. 
Field Marks. An all-blue bird, markedly larger than the Indigo Bunting. Females: 
soft, light ashy birds with blue on tail, rump, and wings. Juveniles; brownish ashy, 
with ashy and light brown spotted or striped breast, and strong blue suffusions on wings 
and tail. 
Nesting. In old woodpecker-holes and cavities in stubs and cliffs or artificial nesting 
boxes. 
Distribution. Western North America, In Canada from the west coast east to 
Manitoba, north to the Yukon and Mackenzie Valley. 
The Mountain Bluebird, a beautiful bird, has been extending east of 
late and is now well established more or less commonly as far as central 
Manitoba. It has all the pretty ways and habits of the Eastern Bluebird, 
but is more cerulean in its coloration. A famous writer has described the 
Eastern Bluebird as “The sky above, the earth beneath’' referring to the 
blue back and red breast. Following this figure of speech, the Mountain 
Bluebird is purely celestial with no earthy contamination. It is at home 
in all kinds of places. In the tree plantations about the prairie homes it 
will build in the hollow cornices of the buildings or in any kind of a rough 
box put up for it, in dead stubs at the edge of the prairie bluffs or in old 
flicker-holes in telegraph poles by the roadside. Even in the austere and 
repellent, raw-banked coulees of the wildest bad lands it can be found 
adapting crannies in the rocks and cliffs to its use. Its only requirement 
seems to be nesting holes and it makes little difference where they are so 
long as they will shelter a nest. 
765. Wheatear. le traquet motteux. Oenanthe oenanthe. L, 7 01. A titlark- 
like bird, light grey above. Male: white below, warmed with buff colour on throat; a 
black band through the eye and a white rump 
(Figure 417). The female and juvenile are 
similar, but duller and more buff or rust coloured 
and without the sharp black face patch. 
Distinctions. The conspicuous and extensive 
white rump with the general colorations given 
above are distinctive. 
Field Marks. With its showy white rump the 
bird looks like a partly albino Titlark. 
SUBSPECIES. The subspecies of Wheatear 
that occurs in eastern Canada is the Greenland 
Wheatear (le Traquet motteux Groenlandais) 
O.o. ieucorhoa. 
This is a European bird of regular 
occurrence in Greenland, the eastern 
Arctic islands, and in the adjacent parts 
of Ungava Peninsula, but of only casual 
or accidental occurrence elsewhere in Canada. 
754. Townsend’s Solitaire, le solitaire de townsend. Myadesles toumsendi 
L, 8, Plate LX A. A little smaller than a robin. Nearly solidly grey or brownish grey, 
with outer tail feathers largely white; semi-concealed tawny spots on flight feathers. The 
body-feathers of young birds shortly from nest have large white centre spots and dark 
borders, producing an effect of a suit of silver scales. 
Distinctions. More like a catbird than anything else it is likely to be confused with, 
but without black cap or chestnut undertail-coverts; grey brownish instead of slaty, 
Figure 417 
Wheatear (male); about natural size. 
