Brasília tapaculo


The Brasília tapaculo is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. It is endemic to southern Brazil.

Taxonomy and systematics

The Brasília tapaculo is most closely related to the Planalto tapaculo. Those two species, rock tapaculo, and Diamantina tapaculo form a clade. It was originally thought to be closely related to the white-breasted tapaculo.

Description

The Brasília tapaculo is long. One male weighed and two unsexed specimens weighed. The adult is blue-gray above and whitish to pale gray below. The lower back and rump are reddish brown and the vent is rufous with gray barring. The juvenile has not been described.

Distribution and habitat

The Brasília tapaculo is found in disjunct areas in eastern Goiás, the Distrito Federal, and western Minas Gerais. It inhabits gallery forest, primarily permanently flooded areas with Blechnum ferns and Euterpe palms. It has a fairly narrow elevational range of.

Behavior

Feeding

The Brasília tapaculo forages on the ground for insects, spiders, and centipedes.

Breeding

The only information on the Brasília tapaculo's breeding phenology is that a specimen collected in July had active gonads.

Vocalization

The Brazilia tapaculo's song is an "ewk" note repeated for up to a minute . Its alarm call is a series of sharp "che-te-te" notes. Another call is a fast series of "chip" notes that increase in volume.

Status

The IUCN has assessed the Brasília tapaculo as Endangered. Its range of approximately 72 km2 is greatly fragmented and under continued threat of degradation. It does, however, occur in at least six protected areas.