Scytalopus pachecoi
The Planalto Tapaculo (*Scytalopus pachecoi*) is a small, enigmatic passerine, typically measuring 11-12 cm in length and weighing approximately 12-18 grams. Its plumage is predominantly dark slate-gray, transitioning to diagnostic rufous-brown flanks and vent, often marked with subtle black barring, which serves as a key identification feature distinguishing it from many of its congeners. A relatively short tail is frequently cocked and flicked, a characteristic tapaculo trait that aids in r...
This species primarily inhabits the dense, humid undergrowth of montane Atlantic Forest remnants and mature secondary growth, typically found at elevations ranging from 200 to 1100 meters above sea level.
The Planalto Tapaculo's diet consists mainly of small invertebrates, including various insects and spiders, which it forages for by gleaning from leaf litter and dense undergrowth.
The Planalto Tapaculo is an intensely shy and highly terrestrial bird, spending its days skulking through the densest parts of the understory, rarely venturing into the open. Its foraging strategy involves short, rapid hops through leaf litter and tangled vegetation, meticulously gleaning small i...
The Planalto Tapaculo is a resident species with a restricted distribution across a narrow band of the Atlantic Forest in southeastern South America. Its primary range includes the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina in southern Brazil, extending westward into the northeastern Misiones...
Near Threatened
- The Planalto Tapaculo was only formally described in 2005, making it one of the more recently recognized bird species in South America. - It was named after Fernando Pacheco, a prominent Brazilian ornithologist, acknowledging his significant contributions to Neotropical ornithology. - Despite i...