- Scytalopus canus
Identification
10-10.5 cm
Male is all over grey, lacks black-and-brown barring on the rear that most Tapaculos show.
Female is presumably similar.
Juvenile is presumably the one shown in two images in Macaulay library as being rufous-brown on crown and with barring becoming darker towards the rear.
Separation of species
Paramillo Tapaculo S. canus lacks barring or brown on in the flanks, whereas Paramo Tapaculo S. opacus usually has barring on upper tail coverts, flanks and thighs.
Distribution
Two small areas in western Andes of Colombia (Antioquia).
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.[1]
A paper[3][4] from 2010 proposed that the Paramillo Tapaculo and the Paramo Tapaculo should be seen as separate species based on vocalizations. The split is recognised by Clements (2011)[1] and Gill and Donsker (2010)[2].
Habitat
High altitude scrubs. Mainly detected at 3300-3500 m asl.
Behaviour
Very difficult to observe as it hides in vegetation. Presumably, insects is an important source of food.
Vocalisation
Main song is slower than its presumed closest relatives. It is a trill of 7-11 notes per second which usually continues for 4-12 seconds. Each note is complex giving it a churring quality. There might be a slight acceleration of the trill, but the pitch falls significantly, mainly in the start of the song.
The call usually lasts around 1 second and consists of 3-5 notes that each have first and up and then a down element. The pitch is falling during the call. The call is somewhat similar to the call of Paramo Tapaculo but the pitch is higher and the pace of notes in the call is slower.
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2010. IOC World Bird Names (version 2.7). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Krabbe & Cadena 2010. Paper splitting Paramo Tapaculo from Paramillo Tapaculo and describing a new subspecies. (also describes the voices of these species).
- Birdforum thread discussing the above paper
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Paramillo Tapaculo. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 16 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Paramillo_Tapaculo
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
