Magellanic Tapaculo (Scytalopus magellanicus)

Embalse El Yeso, Santiago, Chile. 10 feb 2024

comments (9)

Thibaud Aronson

Lion

The OG! Magellanic tapaculo used to encompass all light-gray tapaculos, usually found at very high elevations, from Venezuela all the way down to Tierra del Fuego. But some 25 years ago, tapaculo expert Niel Krabbe, with help from the legendary Tom Schulenberg, both expert recordists, pointed out that while all of these birds do look pretty much alike, they have vastly different songs. They also pointed out that tapaculos are essentially flightless and the many canyons that traverse the Andes are effective barriers to dispersion. This has led to the growing realization that most isolated mountains or cordilleras have a distinct (or several!) species of tapaculo.
A few species that are already on JD (Ancash, Jalca, and Neblina) used to be lumped as part of Magellanic Tapaculo, which is now considered to only occur in Chile and Argentina.
Something very similar has happened with antpittas, with what used to be Rufous Antpitta now split into 12 species! Posted one year ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  Nice sky mouse!
  
  I did not know they are flightless. Posted one year ago
2. 1. Thibaud Aronson
    
    Lion
    
    Nearly flightless would be more accurate. Sort of like domestic chickens. They can hop up and travel a few meters in the air for a handful of seconds while desperately flapping their wings but that's about it! Posted one year ago
3. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  Interesting! Posted one year ago
4. NattyOne
  
  Lion
  
  Good information, Thibaud. Posted one year ago
5. 1. Thibaud Aronson
    
    Lion
    
    Always happy to geek out about birds :) Posted one year ago
  2. 1. NattyOne
      
      Lion
      
      Brilliant, long may you continue. {;¬) Posted one year ago

Mike Melton

Lion

Fantastic! Posted one year ago
1. Thibaud Aronson
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks Mike! Posted one year ago

The Magellanic tapaculo

The Magellanic tapaculo is a small passerine bird in the tapaculo family Rhinocryptidae that is found in southern South America.

Info 1 0

Similar species: Perching Birds

Species identified by Thibaud Aronson

By Thibaud Aronson

Uploaded Mar 1, 2024. Captured Feb 10, 2024 16:07 in Embalse el Yeso - Embalse el Yeso, San José de Maipo, Región Metropolitana, Chile, San José de Maipo, Región Metropolitana, Chile.

Explore Chile 144 122 0

Canon EOS R6
f/14.0
1/500s
ISO2500
700mm

Captured in the summer. More summer photos.