Bolivian tapaculo

Taxonomy and systematics

The Bolivian tapaculo was formerly considered a subspecies of rufous-vented tapaculo (Scytalopus femoralis) but was separated based principally on differences in their vocalizations.

Description

The Bolivian tapaculo is 12 cm long. Males weigh 17 to and one female weighed 19.5 g. The male is mostly dark gray with reddish brown flanks, vent, and crissum (the area around the cloaca). It has a variable amount of white on the crown of the head. The female is paler gray washed with brown above with a black-barred brown belly. The juvenile is similar to the female.

Distribution and habitat

The Bolivian tapaculo is found from Puno Province in southeastern Peru into Bolivia as far as Chuquisaca Department. It inhabits dense undergrowth in humid broadleaf forest. Its primary elevational range is 1000 to but it can be found as high as 2850 m in a few locations.

Behavior

No information is available on the Bolivian tapaculo's feeding or breeding phenologies. Its song is a trill up to 15 seconds long https://www.xeno-canto.org/351137 and its alarm call is rendered "kekekeke" https://www.xeno-canto.org/45780. The female is thought to utter a high-pitched "brzk" https://www.xeno-canto.org/3425.

Status

The IUCN has assessed the Bolivian tapaculo as being of Least Concern. Though its population number is not known and is thought to be decreasing, it does not meet the criteria for a more critical rating. It does occur in some national parks and preserves.

References

References

1. BirdLife International. (2016). "''Scytalopus bolivianus''".
2. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 19 January 2021. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved January 19, 2021
3. Krabbe, N. and T. S. Schulenberg (2020). Bolivian Tapaculo (''Scytalopus bolivianus''), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.boltap1.01 retrieved April 27, 2021
4. (July 2021). "Antthrushes, antpittas, gnateaters, tapaculos, crescentchests". International Ornithologists' Union.