Photo: Thibaud Aronson / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Dusky Tapaculo
Scytalopus fuscus
Dusky Tapaculo (Scytalopus fuscus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
The Dusky Tapaculo (Scytalopus fuscus) is a member of the Rhinocryptidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 13.7 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 fuscus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Rhinocryptidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Dusky Tapaculo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Dusky Tapaculo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Dusky Tapaculo (Scytalopus fuscus) belongs to the Rhinocryptidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA c Chile.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.7 g, with a wing length of about 5.2 cm and a tail of around 3.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 116,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Dusky Tapaculo?
The Dusky Tapaculo is a very small bird that weighs around 13.7 g.
Where does the Dusky Tapaculo live?
The Dusky Tapaculo is found across South America with a range covering SA c Chile, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Dusky Tapaculo belong to?
The Dusky Tapaculo (Scytalopus fuscus) belongs to the Rhinocryptidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Dusky Tapaculo eat?
The Dusky Tapaculo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Dusky Tapaculo migrate?
The Dusky Tapaculo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Dusky 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 Dusky Tapaculo make?
1 real field recording of the Dusky 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 Dusky Tapaculo's range?
The Dusky Tapaculo has a mapped global range of about 116,000 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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