Brasilia Tapaculo

Overview

The Brasília tapaculo (Scytalopus novacapitalis) is a small bird species in the family Rhinocryptidae that is endemic to southern Brazil. Currently assessed as Endangered by the IUCN, it occupies a highly fragmented range of approximately 72 km² that remains under continued threat from degradation, though it is present in at least six protected areas.

Identification

• Length of 11 cm (4.3 in), with weights ranging between 15.6 g and 19.2 g.
• Plumage is blue-gray above, with the lower back and rump reddish brown.
• Underparts are whitish to pale gray, with a rufous vent featuring gray barring.
• Song consists of an "ewk" note repeated for up to a minute; alarm calls are a series of sharp "che-te-te" notes; another call is a fast, increasing series of "chip" notes.

Habitat

This species is found in disjunct areas of eastern Goiás, the Distrito Federal, and western Minas Gerais. It inhabits gallery forest, specifically in permanently flooded areas characterised by Blechnum ferns and Euterpe palms, at elevations between 800 and 1,000 m.

Diet

The Brasília tapaculo forages on the ground, feeding on insects, spiders, and centipedes.

Did you know?

The only available information regarding its breeding cycle is that a specimen collected in July possessed active gonads.