Jalca Tapaculo

Overview

The jalca tapaculo (Scytalopus frankeae) is a small, endemic Peruvian bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. Its English name references the local Peruvian term for its preferred habitat, and the specific epithet honours Dr. Irma Franke, a major contributor to Peruvian ornithology. The species was officially recognised as new in 2020.

Identification

• A small, plump bird approximately 10 to 11 cm in length, with males weighing around 17 g and females 16 g.
• Males feature a dark gray crown and face with a silvery white supercilium, while the nape and mantle are dark gray washed with dark reddish brown.
• The lower back and rump are cinnamon brown with blackish curving bars near the feather ends, and the wings are generally brown with cinnamon and blackish markings.
• The song consists of a long series of regularly repeated reverberating churrs lasting several minutes, with slight variations between northern and southern populations.

Habitat

Endemic to east-central Peru, the jalca tapaculo is found in the departments of Huánuco, Pasco, and Junín. It primarily inhabits dense bunchgrass and scattered shrubs known as jalca, favouring ravines and steep rocky slopes that are ungrazed by livestock. It also occurs at forest edges, including Polylepis and riparian evergreen forest, at elevations between 3,400 and 4,200 m.

Diet

This species forages on the ground by moving among moss, rocks, and grass clumps, as well as hopping along low branches. Specific details of its diet are lacking, but only insects have been identified as prey.

Did you know?

The species is named after the jalca habitat and honours Dr. Irma Franke, who participated in the 1985 expedition that first discovered the bird. It remains unassessed by the IUCN, though authors of the 2020 description suggested it would qualify as Least Concern.