Magellanic Tapaculo

Overview

The Magellanic tapaculo (Scytalopus magellanicus) is a small passerine bird in the tapaculo family Rhinocryptidae found in southern South America. It is a monotypic species with no recognised subspecies, though birds in the north of its range are larger and darker. The species is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Wren-like bird measuring 10 to 12 cm in length with dark-grey plumage and a chestnut tinge to the flanks, undertail and wings.
• Features a slender black bill and fairly long pinkish legs, with a short tail held erect.
• Some individuals possess a silvery-white patch on the crown, whereas juveniles are brown with dark barring and usually lack white on the crown.
• Produces a loud, staccato and repetitive song.

Habitat

Inhabits dense vegetation near ground-level in forest and woodland, often near water and commonly associated with stands of Chusquea bamboo. Its range extends northwards from Tierra del Fuego as far as Valparaíso Region in Chile and San Juan Province in Argentina. Charles Darwin collected a specimen in the Falkland Islands in 1833 or 1834, but there have been no definite records there since.

Diet

Forages for insects in dense vegetation near ground-level. It is terrestrial and prefers to run rather than fly.

Did you know?

The species was formally described in 1789 by Johann Friedrich Gmelin based on a water-colour drawing by Georg Forster, who accompanied James Cook on his second voyage to the Pacific Ocean. This picture, dated 28 December 1774 at Tierra del Fuego, serves as the holotype for the species and is held by the Natural History Museum in London.