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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 Chile

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: 617260
  Adult

Parque Pumalin
Región de Los Lagos
Chile
12/03/2024
Jorgelina Lopez
Foto
Photography ID: 615204
  Adult

Parque Nacional Queulat
Región de Aisén
Chile
12/06/2024
Hernán Tolosa
Foto
Photography ID: 600496
  Adult

Valdivia
Región de Los Ríos
Chile
02/20/2010
Manuel Godoy
Foto
Photography ID: 336472
  Adult

Maullín
Región de Los Lagos
Chile
10/25/2017
Susana Gomez
Foto
Photography ID: 307717
  Adult

Ruta 7 Austral
Región de Los Lagos
Chile
02/05/2018
Pablo Marcelo Meyer
Foto
Photography ID: 142946
  Adult

Comuna de Cisnes
Región de Aisén
Chile
01/13/2016
Carlos Villa
Foto
Photography ID: 142945
  Adult

Comuna de Cisnes
Región de Aisén
Chile
01/13/2016
Carlos Villa
Foto
Photography ID: 126510
♂ ♀
  Adult

Chiloé
Región de Los Lagos
Chile
11/19/2015
Alicia Miller



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Last Vocalizations published



Audio playerUserDateCountryProvincePlaceSexLife stageIt was observedDetails
Fernanda Ferrari01/06/2026ChileRegión de Los LagosParque nacional alerce andinoLlanquihueN/AN/ANoNo
Julián Tocce11/19/2015ChileRegión de Los LagosQuemchiChiloéN/AAdultNoNo
Alicia Miller11/19/2015ChileRegión de Los LagosCascada de TocoihueChiloéIndistinguishableAdultYesNo
Mariano Costa01/16/2014ChileRegión de la AraucaníaValdiviaIndistinguishableAdultNoNo



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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
244578203/02/2026ChileRegión de Los LagosSendero Mirador Caleta Gonzalo, Parque PumalinAriel Alejandro Vazquez
244537106/01/2026ChileRegión de Los LagosParque nacional alerce andino, LlanquihueFernanda Ferrari
239098125/11/202516:20ChileRegión de Los LagosQuebrada HondaMariano Costa
235806613/09/202511:21ChileRegión de Los LagosW-30, Ancud, ChiloéMariano Costa
225001321/02/202518:31ChileRegión de Los LagosVía Sin Nombre, ChonchiMarcelo Gavensky
221560309/12/2024ChileRegión de AisénCaleta TortelHernán Tolosa
222834807/12/2024ChileRegión de AisénCascada de la virgenHernán Tolosa
221145006/12/2024ChileRegión de AisénParque Nacional QueulatHernán Tolosa
221557705/12/2024ChileRegión de AisénPuyuhuapiHernán Tolosa
222946603/12/2024ChileRegión de Los LagosParque PumalinJorgelina Lopez
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 26/03/2026.