Photo: Jon Irvine / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Vilcabamba Tapaculo
Scytalopus urubambae
Vilcabamba Tapaculo (Scytalopus urubambae) — 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 Vilcabamba Tapaculo (Scytalopus urubambae) is a member of the Rhinocryptidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 13 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 urubambae
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Rhinocryptidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Vilcabamba Tapaculo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Vilcabamba Tapaculo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Vilcabamba Tapaculo (Scytalopus urubambae) is a member of the Rhinocryptidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA ec Peru.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13 g, with a wing length of about 5.2 cm and a tail of around 3.4 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 2,501 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Vilcabamba Tapaculo?
The Vilcabamba Tapaculo is a very small bird that weighs around 13 g.
Where does the Vilcabamba Tapaculo live?
The Vilcabamba Tapaculo is found across South America with a range covering SA ec Peru, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Vilcabamba Tapaculo belong to?
The Vilcabamba Tapaculo (Scytalopus urubambae) belongs to the Rhinocryptidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Vilcabamba Tapaculo eat?
The Vilcabamba Tapaculo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Vilcabamba Tapaculo migrate?
The Vilcabamba Tapaculo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Vilcabamba 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 Vilcabamba Tapaculo make?
1 real field recording of the Vilcabamba 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 Vilcabamba Tapaculo's range?
The Vilcabamba Tapaculo has a mapped global range of about 2,501 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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