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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 published photographs

Foto
Photography ID: 130222
  Adult

Parque Nacional Lanín
Neuquén
Argentina
12/09/2015
Dolores Fernandez
Foto
Photography ID: 126510
♂ ♀
  Adult

Chiloé
Región de Los Lagos
Chile
11/19/2015
Alicia Miller
Foto
Photography ID: 125874
♂ ♀
  Adult

Chiloé
Región de Los Lagos
Chile
11/19/2015
Julián Tocce
Foto
Photography ID: 106451
  Adult

Lago Espejo Grande
Neuquén
Argentina
07/20/2015
Eduardo Cusano
Foto
Photography ID: 106426
  Adult

Paso Cardenal Samore
Neuquén
Argentina
07/20/2015
Sergio Cusano
Foto
Photography ID: 93281
  Adult

Parque Nacional Lanín
Neuquén
Argentina
03/31/2015
Hernán Tolosa
Foto
Photography ID: 86702
  Adult

Parque Nacional Los Alerces
Chubut
Argentina
01/14/2015
Rodrigo Fiorucci
Foto
Photography ID: 82374
  Adult

El Bolsón
Río Negro
Argentina
02/04/2015
Veronica Edith Schefski



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Last Vocalizations published



Audio playerUserDateCountryProvincePlaceSexLife stageIt was observedDetails
Dolores Fernandez12/09/2015ArgentinaNeuquénYucoParque Nacional LanínIndistinguishableAdultYesNo
Julián Tocce11/19/2015ChileRegión de Los LagosQuemchiChiloéN/AAdultNoNo
Alicia Miller11/19/2015ChileRegión de Los LagosCascada de TocoihueChiloéIndistinguishableAdultYesNo
Héctor Bernardo Fernández11/13/2015ArgentinaRío NegroParque Municipal Llao LlaoIndistinguishableAdultYesNo
Federico Andrés De Maio01/15/2015ArgentinaNeuquénPuerto ManzanoVilla La AngosturaN/AAdultYesNo



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Last Filmings published




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 Reports


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Page 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
106937426/12/2015ArgentinaChubutLago Mosquito, CushamenJulian Quillen Vidoz
37732109/12/2015ArgentinaNeuquénYuco, Parque Nacional LanínDolores Fernandez
37393404/12/2015ArgentinaNeuquénParque Nacional Los ArrayanesGonzalo Diaz
106935201/12/2015ArgentinaRío NegroEl Bolsón1Julian Quillen Vidoz
37386830/11/2015ArgentinaNeuquénVilla La AngosturaGonzalo Diaz
37389129/11/2015ArgentinaNeuquénLago el TotoralGonzalo Diaz
106935128/11/2015ArgentinaRío NegroEl BolsónJulian Quillen Vidoz
48244728/11/2015ArgentinaRío NegroAv. Tres Lagos 14.100, San Carlos de Bariloche1Jose Gimenez
37391228/11/2015ArgentinaNeuquénLago AroncohueGonzalo Diaz
106936819/11/2015ArgentinaChubutCerro Pirque, Cushamen2Julian Quillen Vidoz
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 16/03/2026.