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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: 529036
  Adult

Parque Nacional Los Alerces
Chubut
Argentina
03/22/2023
Julián Tocce
Foto
Photography ID: 384725
  Adult

El Bolsón
Río Negro
Argentina
02/24/2020
Julián Tocce
Foto
Photography ID: 249575
  Adult

Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes
Neuquén
Argentina
02/18/2018
Julián Tocce
Foto
Photography ID: 202290
  Adult

San Carlos de Bariloche
Río Negro
Argentina
05/07/2017
Julián Tocce
Foto
Photography ID: 125874
♂ ♀
  Adult

Chiloé
Región de Los Lagos
Chile
11/19/2015
Julián Tocce
Foto
Photography ID: 40600
  Adult

Chaitén
Región de Los Lagos
Chile
02/05/2014
Julián Tocce



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Last Vocalizations published



Audio playerUserDateCountryProvincePlaceSexLife stageIt was observedDetails
Julián Tocce02/26/2024ArgentinaNeuquénSenda en Cerro BayoVilla La AngosturaN/AAdultYesNo
Julián Tocce11/19/2015ChileRegión de Los LagosQuemchiChiloéN/AAdultNoNo



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 Reports


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Page 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
199526926/02/2024ArgentinaNeuquénSenda en Cerro Bayo, Villa La Angostura3Julián Tocce
195049815/01/2024ArgentinaNeuquénNaciente del río Chimehuín, Parque Nacional Lanín1Julián Tocce
173720622/03/2023ArgentinaChubutParque Nacional Los Alerces2Julián Tocce
173689622/03/2023ArgentinaChubutCentro interpretación Parque Nacional, Parque Nacional Los Alerces1Julián Tocce
173688522/03/2023ArgentinaChubutParque Nacional Los Alerces2Julián Tocce
157089601/02/2022ArgentinaRío NegroCamping Los Rápidos, Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi3Julián Tocce
138606926/03/2021ArgentinaNeuquénBahia Cañicul, Lago Huechulafquen1Julián Tocce
120180624/02/2020ArgentinaRío NegroRefugio Perito Moreno, El BolsónJulián Tocce
116077005/01/2020ArgentinaNeuquénParque Nacional Los Arrayanes1Julián Tocce
116081504/01/2020ArgentinaRío NegroBahía Loéz - sendero al mirador, Parque Municipal Llao Llao1Julián Tocce
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 11/03/2026.