Birds of Peru

    PASSERIFORMES: Rhinocryptidae (Tapaculos)  
Genus: Scytalopus (21 species, 49 worldwide)

Genus Scytalopus, Tapaculos, are small black or grey insect-eating birds found in thick brush in the forest understory, and very rarely seen. Most tapaculos in this genus are so similar that they can only be identified by voice, usually a long repeating call.


Tschudi's Tapaculo
Tschudi's Tapaculo (Scytalopus acutirostris) ENDEMIC
Unchog, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Ancash Tapaculo
Ancash Tapaculo (Scytalopus affinis) ENDEMIC
Huanzala, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Neblina Tapaculo
Neblina Tapaculo (Scytalopus altirostris) ENDEMIC
Unchog, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Loja Tapaculo
Loja Tapaculo (Scytalopus androstictus)
Cerro Toledo, Loja, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.

Split from the Paramo Tapaculo in 2020 and found south from Loja, Ecuador to north Peru.

White-crowned Tapaculo
White-crowned Tapaculo (Scytalopus atratus)
ProAves Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve, AnorĂ­, Antioquia, Colombia
  White crown (really just a spot) barely visible in this photo.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A tiny bit less secretive than most tapaculos. Found from 1000-2000m in Andean forests.

Bolivian Tapaculo
Bolivian Tapaculo (Scytalopus bolivianus)
Refugio los Volcanes, Bolivia  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Rufous-vented Tapaculo
Rufous-vented Tapaculo (Scytalopus femoralis) ENDEMIC
Abra Patricia, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bruno Conjeaud   © All Rights Reserved.


Jalca Tapaculo
Jalca Tapaculo (Scytalopus frankeae) ENDEMIC
Carretera Satipo, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.

Described in 2020, and known from two geographically separate populations: the northern population is known from three areas in Huanuco and Pasco; the southern population is found in Junin (sci-news.com).

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Junin Tapaculo (Scytalopus gettyae) Near Threatened ENDEMIC
   



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Utcubamba Tapaculo (Scytalopus intermedius) ENDEMIC
   


Split from the Blackish Tapaculo in 2020, and found in an isolated mountain range in north Peru

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White-winged Tapaculo (Scytalopus krabbei) ENDEMIC
   


Described in 2020. Found in five localities in three widely separated areas in the Central Andes of north-central Peru (sci-news.com). It inhabits wet shrub forest and upper montane forest at around 3000m. Note two or three white wing patches on primary coverts.

Blackish Tapaculo
Blackish Tapaculo (Scytalopus latrans latrans)
San Sebastian Reserve, Envigado, Antioquia, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Commonly heard around 2000-3000m and with a slower more bird-like call than many other tapaculos.

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Large-footed Tapaculo (Scytalopus macropus) ENDEMIC
   



Long-tailed Tapaculo
Long-tailed Tapaculo (Scytalopus micropterus)
San Isidro, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Francesco Veronesi     Copyright and usage info


Chusquea Tapaculo
Chusquea Tapaculo (Scytalopus parkeri)
Tapichalaca Reserve, Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.


Trilling Tapaculo
Trilling Tapaculo (Scytalopus parvirostris)
Siberia, Bolivia  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Diademed Tapaculo
Diademed Tapaculo (Scytalopus schulenbergi)
Abra Malaga, Cuzco, Peru  
   
Photograph by Jon Irvine   © All Rights Reserved.


Puna Tapaculo
Puna Tapaculo (Scytalopus simonsi)
La Cumbre, Bolivia  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


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Unicolored Tapaculo (Scytalopus unicolor) Near Threatened ENDEMIC
   



Vilcabamba Tapaculo
Vilcabamba Tapaculo (Scytalopus urubambae) ENDEMIC
Soraypampa, Cuzco, Peru  
   
Photograph by Jon Irvine   © All Rights Reserved.


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Ampay Tapaculo (Scytalopus whitneyi) ENDEMIC
   


A species described in 2020 and found in the Ampay National Sanctuary.


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