TAPACULOS   -   RHINOCRYPTIDAE

Moustached Turca Pteroptochos megapodius megapodius Yala, Santiago Metropolitan region, Chile. A unique, large, terrestrial tapaculo endemic to the highlands of Chile. This is a very distant shot, but it shows you how you typically see it, coming up onto the top of a rock to sing, giving a far-carrying series of low hoots. (S5)

White-throated Tapaculo Scelorchilus albicollis albicollis La Campana National Park, Region V, Chile. Another unique tapaculo endemic to Chile, found in dense vegetation on arid mountain slopes. I found this to be one of the hardest birds in Chile to get a decent view of, and was very lucky even to get a mediocre photo like this. (S5)

Chucao Tapaculo Scelorchilus rubecula rubecula Nahuelbuta National Park, Region IX, Chile. One of my favorite birds in all of Chile. A very active bird that scampers around on the ground with its tail held cocked straight up. With patience, you can have great views of it. it is almost endemic to Chile, but does barely get into neighboring Argentina. (S5)		Chucao Tapaculo Scelorchilus rubecula rubecula Nahuelbuta National Park, Region IX, Chile. Another shot of the same bird. It's amazing that the tapaculos are some of the best birds in Chile. (S5)

Crested Gallito Rhinocrypta lanceolata lanceolata c.18 km northeast of JV Gonzales, Salta province, Argentina. A cute, perky bird mostly restricted to the chaco region. They are mostly terrestrial, running around on the ground with their tails cocked up, but they occasionally come up in the trees to sing. (S5)

Sandy Gallito Teledromas fuscus Los Cardones NP, Salta province, Argentina. A very plain bird endemic to highland deserts in northern Argentina. They are mostly terrestrial, but sing from the tops of small bushes for a short period at dawn. (D3)

Spotted Bamboowren Psilorhamphus guttatus Folha Seca, Ubatuba, São Paulo state, Brazil. A fantastic little bird in a monotypic genus endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest. They live in dense thickets (not just bamboo) which makes them hard to see, but they aren't really shy. This one came within a few feet of us. It has a very soft song that makes it hard to judge the distance of the bird. Listen to its song below. (S6)

Slaty Bristlefront Merulaxis ater Folha Seca, Ubatuba, São Paulo state, Brazil. This is one of my favorite birds of the Atlantic Rainforest, partly due to it's incredible song (listen with the link below), one of the most distinctive in the entire region. It's endemic to Brazil, and quite localized. I usually see it in areas that have extensive bamboo nearby, but it is not always in the bamboo patches. (S6)

Rusty-belted Tapaculo Liosceles thoracicus erithacus Shiripuno Lodge, Pastaza province, Ecuador. The only tapaculo of the Amazon region. They are typically found around fallen logs on the floor of primary forest. (S4)

Diamantina Tapaculo Scytalopus diamantinensis Chapada de Diamantina, Bahia state, Brazil. A recently described species. For the formal description, you can download a PDF here. (Reference: BORNSCHEIN, M. R., G. N. MAURÍCIO, R. BELMONTE-LOPES, H. MATA AND S. L. BONATTO. 2007. Diamantina Tapaculo, a new Scytalopus endemic to the Chapada Diamantina, northeastern Brazil (Passeriformes: Rhinocryptidae). Rev. Bras. Orn. 15(2):151-174.) (D3)

Spillmann's Tapaculo Scytalopus spillmanni Upper Tandayapa Valley, Pichincha province, Ecuador. Tapaculos of the ever-growing genus Scytalopus are particularly hard to photograph. Until recently, this was my only shot, a very recently fledged juvenile that was begging at the side of the road. Identified because it is the only Scytalopus occurring in that location at that elevation. (P1f)

Chusquea Tapaculo Scytalopus parkeri Tapichalaca reserve, Zamora-Chinchipe province, Ecuador. Tapaculos like this may not be identifiable based only on the photo. I can tell you that the bird was singing, and so there was no doubt about the ID. This species is restricted to southern Ecuador and extreme northern Peru. (S5)

Brasilia Tapaculo Scytalopus novacapitalis Serra da Canastra NP, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Endemic to gallery woodland and scrub in south-central Brazil. (S6)		Brasilia Tapaculo Scytalopus novacapitalis Serra da Canastra NP, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Same bird from a different angle. (S6)

Magellanic Tapaculo Scytalopus magellanicus Altos de Lircay National Reserve, Region VII, Chile. The southernmost tapaculo in the world, reaching as far south as Tierra del Fuego. The white crown patch makes it an easy one to identify. (S5)

Zimmer's Tapaculo Scytalopus zimmeri Los Cardones NP, Salta province, Argentina. Amazingly out in the open for a Scytalopus. This species was only recently discovered in Argentina, previously assumed to be the very similar White-browed Tapaculo S. superciliaris, until their voices were better studied. (S5)

White-browed Tapaculo Scytalopus superciliaris superciliaris Rio Los Sosa, Tucumán province, Argentina. An Argentine endemic, occurring farther south than the previous species. Their plumages are almost identical, but they have different voices. (S5)

Paramo Tapaculo Scytalopus canus opacus Cerro Toledo, Loja province, Ecuador. Here's another one that is probably not identifiable to species based only on the photo. Again, the bird was singing, so there was no doubt on the ID. (S5)

Ocellated Tapaculo Acropternis orthonyx infuscatus Papallacta, Napo province, Ecuador. Now opinions can vary, but I think this is the most spectacular of all tapaculos, and even rates as one of the neatest birds in South America. It is generally uncommon and local in bamboo-laden temperate forest in the Andes from Venezuela to extreme northern Peru. An extremely hard bird to photograph in the wild, but I am going to keep trying to get something better. (S5)

Ocellated Tapaculo Acropternis orthonyx infuscatus Upper Tandayapa Valley, Pichincha province, Ecuador. The Tandayapa Valley seems to have an unusually high concentration of these birds. (S5)