Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rock Tapaculo
Scytalopus petrophilus
Rock Tapaculo (Scytalopus petrophilus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rock Tapaculo (Scytalopus petrophilus) is a member of the Rhinocryptidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 13.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Rhinocryptidae Tapaculos
- Genus Scytalopus
- Species petrophilus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Rhinocryptidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rock Tapaculo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
Where it spends much of its time perched among vegetation.
Migration
The Rock Tapaculo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rock Tapaculo (Scytalopus petrophilus) is a species of bird in the Rhinocryptidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA se Brazil.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.5 g, with a wing length of about 5 cm and a tail of around 3.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 46,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rock Tapaculo?
The Rock Tapaculo is a very small bird that weighs around 13.5 g.
Where does the Rock Tapaculo live?
The Rock Tapaculo is found across South America with a range covering SA se Brazil.
What family does the Rock Tapaculo belong to?
The Rock Tapaculo (Scytalopus petrophilus) belongs to the Rhinocryptidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rock Tapaculo eat?
The Rock Tapaculo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rock Tapaculo migrate?
The Rock Tapaculo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rock Tapaculo endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Rock Tapaculo make?
1 real field recording of the Rock Tapaculo — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Rock Tapaculo's range?
The Rock Tapaculo has a mapped global range of about 46,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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