Scytalopus whitneyi
The Ampay Tapaculo (Scytalopus whitneyi) is a small, dark, and highly secretive passerine bird, described as a new species as recently as 2020. This diminutive avian enigma measures approximately 10.5 to 11.5 cm (4.1-4.5 inches) in length and weighs around 15-20 grams. It presents a largely uniform dark gray plumage, typically with brownish-olive flanks that may show subtle dark barring, and a paler belly. Its short tail, stout legs, and perpetually flicking posture are characteristic field m...
This tapaculo exclusively inhabits the dense undergrowth of humid montane cloud forests and elfin woodlands, typically found at high elevations between 3,000 and 4,400 meters.
Its diet consists mainly of small invertebrates, including insects (larvae and adults) and spiders, which it forages for by gleaning and probing in dense ground cover.
The Ampay Tapaculo is a notoriously skulking and terrestrial bird, spending most of its time hopping and running through the thick vegetation, rarely venturing into the open. It forages primarily on the ground and in dense low shrubs, meticulously gleaning small invertebrates from leaf litter, mo...
The Ampay Tapaculo is an extreme endemic, known exclusively from the Cordillera Vilcabamba mountain range in southern Peru. Its entire known distribution is confined to the vicinity of Ampay National Sanctuary and surrounding areas, situated within the ApurÃmac region. This highly restricted rang...
Vulnerable
- The Ampay Tapaculo was only formally described as a new species in 2020, highlighting the ongoing discovery of biodiversity in remote regions. - It is named in honor of Bret Whitney, a distinguished American ornithologist and authority on Neotropical birds. - This species boasts one of the most...