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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: 307717
  Adult

Ruta 7 Austral
Región de Los Lagos
Chile
02/05/2018
Pablo Marcelo Meyer
Foto
Photography ID: 307072
  Adult

San Carlos de Bariloche
Río Negro
Argentina
12/17/2018
Dolores Fernandez
Foto
Photography ID: 293790
  Adult

Parque Nacional Los Alerces
Chubut
Argentina
10/17/2018
Edgar Romeo
Foto
Photography ID: 253464
  Adult

Parque Nacional Lanín
Neuquén
Argentina
02/18/2018
Sergio Cusano
Foto
Photography ID: 253318
  Adult

Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi
Neuquén
Argentina
02/28/2018
Eduardo Cusano
Foto
Photography ID: 252833
  Adult

Parque Nacional Lanín
Neuquén
Argentina
02/18/2018
Eduardo Cusano
Foto
Photography ID: 252764
  Adult

Villa La Angostura
Neuquén
Argentina
03/01/2018
Diego Carus
Foto
Photography ID: 252089
  Adult

Parque Nacional Lanín
Neuquén
Argentina
02/08/2018
Pablo Eguia



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Last Vocalizations published



Audio playerUserDateCountryProvincePlaceSexLife stageIt was observedDetails
Hugo Caverzasi03/11/2018ArgentinaNeuquénReserva Municipal Laguna VerdeVilla La AngosturaN/AN/AYesNo
Diego Oscar05/08/2018ArgentinaRío NegroParque Municipal Llao LlaoIndistinguishableAdultYesNo



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 Reports


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Page 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
127240418/12/2018ChileRegión de AisénBahía Mansa, Chile Chico5Mariano Micheluzzi
86048017/12/2018ArgentinaRío NegroParque Municipal Llao-llao, San Carlos de BarilocheDolores Fernandez
85339708/12/2018ArgentinaRío NegroHotel Llao llao, San Carlos de BarilocheNicolas Olejnik
85339107/12/2018ChileRegión de Los LagosParque Nacional PuyehueNicolas Olejnik
85361206/12/2018ArgentinaChubutParque Nacional Los AlercesGerardo Alberto García
85337206/12/2018ChileRegión de Los LagosParque Nacional PuyehueNicolas Olejnik
85332905/12/2018ChileRegión de Los LagosPucatrihueNicolas Olejnik
85074605/12/2018ArgentinaRío NegroLadera Norte, San Carlos de Bariloche1Mariano Costa
85328104/12/2018ChileRegión de Los LagosPucatrihueNicolas Olejnik
85322903/12/2018ArgentinaNeuquénVilla La AngosturaNicolas 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 11/04/2026.