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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: 135388
  Adult

Villa Pehuenia
Neuquén
Argentina
01/04/2016
Diego Oscar



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Last Vocalizations published



Audio playerUserDateCountryProvincePlaceSexLife stageIt was observedDetails
Diego Oscar01/08/2021ArgentinaChubutParque Nacional Los AlercesN/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
211273914/07/2024ArgentinaNeuquénCerrito Casa Nueva, San Martin de los AndesDiego Oscar
136033814/01/2021ArgentinaNeuquénVilla TrafulDiego Oscar
136025313/01/2021ArgentinaNeuquénRuta de los 7 LagosDiego Oscar
136019412/01/2021ArgentinaRío NegroRuta 82 (entre Villa Mascardi y Cerro Tronador)Diego Oscar
136017812/01/2021ArgentinaRío NegroReserva Natural Cerro AmigoDiego Oscar
135984510/01/2021ArgentinaChubutParque Nacional Los AlercesDiego Oscar
135983109/01/2021ArgentinaChubutParque Nacional Los Alerces2Diego Oscar
135981108/01/2021ArgentinaChubutParque Nacional Los Alerces3Diego Oscar
135978307/01/2021ArgentinaChubutParque Nacional Los Alerces1Diego Oscar
75517508/05/2018ArgentinaRío NegroCircuito Chico, San Carlos de BarilocheDiego Oscar
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 23/03/2026.