Ash-colored Tapaculo

Overview

The ash-colored tapaculo is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. It is the only member of its genus and has no subspecies, though it has sometimes been placed in the large genus Scytalopus.

Identification

• Adults have medium gray upper parts and lighter gray underparts, with some individuals showing cinnamon on the flanks and crissum.
• Juveniles differ from adults by having reddish brown upper parts and ochre brown underparts.
• The song is complex, beginning with irregular 'ticks' for up to a minute followed by a 3-4 second trill described as 'hysterical laughter'.
• Measures 14 cm (5.5 in) in length.

Habitat

Found in the Andean ranges of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, it inhabits humid montane forests between 2,000 and 3,950 m, mostly between 2,300 and 3,700 m. It prefers dense Chusquea bamboo and Neurolepis cane thickets in forests or their margins.

Diet

The specific diet of the ash-colored tapaculo has not been studied. It forages in bamboo and cane from near the ground up to 4 m above it, seldom foraging on the ground itself.

Did you know?

The bird's complex song features a distinctive three to four second trill described as 'hysterical laughter', which often follows a minute of irregular ticking sounds.