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Chucao Tapaculo

Scelorchilus rubecula
(Kittlitz, FH, 1830)
Chucao

Family: Rhinocryptidae
Order: Passeriformes
Class: Aves
Phylum / Division: Chordata
Kingdom: Animalia

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Records from Neuquén

Conservation status according to BirdLife International: Least Concern

Synonyms: Pteroptochos rubecula.

Subspecies:


Description: Black beak and brown iris, with a general olive-brown coloration, featuring a striking reddish bib covering the neck and throat, a thin eyebrow of the same color passing behind the eyes and extending to a small portion above the beak. It has a fine white barring on the chest and a barely marked periocular of the same color.

Sexual Dimorphism: Same sexes.

Habitat: Inhabits dense vegetation in the humid forests of the south.

Behavior: Curious, active, it is common to see it running through the fallen leaves and branches of the forest at high speed, making it hard to spot, but if one stays still and silent, it is very likely to approach to investigate, where it becomes easier to observe. When it perches on a low branch, it does so with its tail erect.

Song: A powerful scream, heard from a great distance, which it repeats at intervals possibly to communicate with others. Whenever one screams, another can be heard responding from afar (Kovacs, 2005). The name “Chucao” is onomatopoeic, derived from the territorial cry it emits (Costa et al., 2012).

Nesting: Nests in holes that it digs itself in white soil ravines, where it lays a maximum of three white eggs.

Feeding: Feeds on small invertebrates that it searches for by scratching the soil and leaf litter of the forest with its feet.

Authors of this description: Diego Oscar

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Last published photographs

Foto
Photography ID: 668786
  Adult

Rio Hua Hum
Neuquén
Argentina
01/11/2026
Adrian Dario Barboza
Foto
Photography ID: 657520
  Adult

Lago Pudu Pudu
Neuquén
Argentina
10/13/2025
Gustavo Daniel González
Foto
Photography ID: 633240
  Adult

Alrededores de Moquehue
Neuquén
Argentina
01/15/2022
Tiago Vaggi
Foto
Photography ID: 631479
  Adult

Parque Nacional Lanín
Neuquén
Argentina
04/01/2025
Hernán Tolosa
Foto
Photography ID: 573967
  Egg

Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi
Neuquén
Argentina
01/14/2024
Max Uranga
Foto
Photography ID: 573965
  Adult

Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi
Neuquén
Argentina
01/14/2024
Max Uranga
Foto
Photography ID: 532939
  Adult

Lago Meliquina
Neuquén
Argentina
03/13/2023
Enrique Sanz
Foto
Photography ID: 526650
  Adult

Parque Nacional Lanín
Neuquén
Argentina
12/26/2022
Fernando Naifleisch
Foto
Photography ID: 494691
  Adult

Parque Nacional Lanín
Neuquén
Argentina
05/10/2022
Eduardo Cusano
Foto
Photography ID: 483553
  Adult

Cercanías Pilo Lil
Neuquén
Argentina
02/02/2022
Susana Gomez
Foto
Photography ID: 483552
  Adult

Cercanías Pilo Lil
Neuquén
Argentina
02/02/2022
Susana Gomez
Foto
Photography ID: 478251
  Adult

Parque Nacional Lanín
Neuquén
Argentina
01/06/2022
Silvio Montani



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Last Vocalizations published



Audio playerUserDateCountryProvincePlaceSexLife stageIt was observedDetails
Julián Tocce02/26/2024ArgentinaNeuquénSenda en Cerro BayoVilla La AngosturaN/AAdultYesNo
Hugo Caverzasi03/11/2018ArgentinaNeuquénReserva Municipal Laguna VerdeVilla La AngosturaN/AN/AYesNo
Dolores Fernandez12/21/2020ArgentinaNeuquénYucoParque Nacional LanínIndistinguishableAdultNoNo
Dolores Fernandez12/09/2015ArgentinaNeuquénYucoParque Nacional LanínIndistinguishableAdultYesNo
Federico Andrés De Maio01/15/2015ArgentinaNeuquénPuerto ManzanoVilla La AngosturaN/AAdultYesNo
Dolores Fernandez12/22/2014ArgentinaNeuquénHua HumParque Nacional LanínIndistinguishableAdultYesNo



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Last Filmings published





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 Reports


 Detail of places sorted by number of records








Page 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
243582118/02/2026ArgentinaNeuquénLaguna rosales, Parque Nacional LanínNicolas Olejnik
243580318/02/2026ArgentinaNeuquénHua Hum, Parque Nacional LanínNicolas Olejnik
243520217/02/2026ArgentinaNeuquénLago Curruhue Grande, Parque Nacional LanínNicolas Olejnik
243218111/02/2026ArgentinaNeuquénCamino al Mirador Arrayanes, San Martin de los AndesNicolas Olejnik
242904507/02/2026ArgentinaNeuquénValle del rio Curruhue, Junin de los Andes1Nicolas Olejnik
241919411/01/2026ArgentinaNeuquénRio Hua HumAdrian Dario Barboza
237828120/10/2025ArgentinaNeuquénLago CorrentosoNicolas Olejnik
237643219/10/2025ArgentinaNeuquénHua Hum, Parque Nacional LanínNicolas Olejnik
237548117/10/2025ArgentinaNeuquénLaguna rosales, Parque Nacional LanínNicolas Olejnik
237505615/10/2025ArgentinaNeuquénÁrea Tromen, Parque Nacional LanínNicolas Olejnik
Page 1

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Bibliography related


Artículo Costa M., R. Moller Jensen Y Otros. 2011. Proyecto Freebirds Guía de las Aves. <http://www.freebirds.com.ar>.

Artículo Kovacs, C. J., O. Kovacs, Z. Kovacs, C. M. Kovacs. 2005. Manual ilustrado de las aves de la Patagonia: Antártida Argentina e Islas del Atlántico Sur. Carlos Kovacs; Ors Kovacs; Zsolt Kovacs – 1ed – El Bolsón, 368 págs.



Citation recommended:

EcoRegistros. 2026. Chucao Tapaculo (Scelorchilus rubecula) - Species sheet. Acceded from https://www.ecoregistros.org on 22/03/2026.