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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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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 Vocalizations published



Audio playerUserDateCountryProvincePlaceSexLife stageIt was observedDetails
Hugo Caverzasi03/11/2018ArgentinaNeuquénReserva Municipal Laguna VerdeVilla La AngosturaN/AN/AYesNo



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Page 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
245259924/03/2026ArgentinaNeuquénLaguna Rosales, San Martin de los Andes4Hugo Caverzasi
201548625/03/2024ChileRegión de Los LagosRuta 215, Puyehue3Hugo Caverzasi
201547024/03/2024ChileRegión de Los LagosParque Nacional Puyehue2Hugo Caverzasi
201542823/03/2024ChileRegión de Los LagosRuta W850, Chonchi2Hugo Caverzasi
201540823/03/2024ChileRegión de Los LagosPlaya de los Tábanos, Chonchi3Hugo Caverzasi
201538123/03/2024ChileRegión de Los LagosHumedal Chanquin, Parque Nacional Chiloé1Hugo Caverzasi
201534922/03/2024ChileRegión de Los LagosRio Chepu, Ancud, Chiloé1Hugo Caverzasi
201525021/03/2024ChileRegión de Los LagosCaulín2Hugo Caverzasi
152013802/12/2021ArgentinaChubutVía sin nombreHugo Caverzasi
152013502/12/2021ArgentinaChubutRuta Provincial 71Hugo Caverzasi
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 30/03/2026.