Vireos in Toronto in winter?

[SarahBHood]

A friend of mine was puzzled to spot a bird in her Toronto backyard a few days ago that she described as greyish with a short beak that points slightly downward at the tip, between sparrow and robin size, with white spectacles, wing bars, breast and outside tail feathers visible in flight. Sounds like a vireo, but could they be around Toronto in January?

[thouc]

Vireos are very rare in winter and are also smaller than sparrow.

Could it be a Northern Mockingbird? Colour, wing bars and white outer tail feathers fits. About the size of a robin.

/Thomas

[SarahBHood]

That's what I suggested to her first, but she was adamant that it wasn't one, and she's someone who'd likely know. Puzzling.

[thouc]

Townsend's Solitaire would also fit the description, but it is very rare.