Birds · Passeriformes · Rhinocryptidae

Chucao Tapaculo

Scelorchilus rubecula

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The chucao tapaculo is a plump, confiding bird of the understorey of the Valdivian forest, with an intensely orange breast and a brown back. It moves along the ground among the quila bamboo and ferns looking for invertebrates, and often approaches walkers rather than fleeing. Its song, powerful and explosive, is one of the most characteristic sounds of the Chilean temperate forest. It is a good indicator of native forest quality: it disappears from small fragments.

Weight

35 g – 45 g

Size

18 cm – 19 cm

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestInsectivore Diurnal In pairs Bird Temperate forest

2countries 10parks

Fun facts

In Mapuche tradition its call is an omen: depending on which side of the path it comes from and what kind of call it gives, it foretells good or bad luck for the traveller, a belief still alive in southern Chile.
It is an excellent indicator of the state of the native forest: it needs dense, continuous understorey, and disappears from isolated fragments even where these are still covered in trees.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Dense quila bamboo and fern understorey of the Valdivian temperate rainforest of Chile and Argentina
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 17 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 3 eggs

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/