Neblina tapaculo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Neblina tapaculo |
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Scytalopus
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| Species: |
altirostris
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The neblina tapaculo (scientific name: Scytalopus altirostris) is a small bird that lives in the Andes mountains of northern Peru. It belongs to a bird family called Rhinocryptidae. This bird is special because it is found only in this part of Peru, making it an endemic species.
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About the Neblina Tapaculo
The neblina tapaculo was first described in 1939. At that time, it was thought to be a type of Magellanic tapaculo. However, scientists later studied its unique calls and songs. In 1997, they decided it was different enough to be its own separate species.
What Does It Look Like?
This little bird is about 10 to 12 cm (3.9 to 4.7 in) long. That's about the length of your hand! It weighs between 17 to 22 g (0.60 to 0.78 oz), which is lighter than a few coins.
Male neblina tapaculos are mostly gray. They have a brownish color on their neck and a mix of brown and black stripes on their lower back. Their belly is a lighter gray. The sides of their body and the area around their tail are brownish-yellow with black stripes.
Female neblina tapaculos look similar to males. However, their upper parts have more brown than gray.
Where Does It Live?
The neblina tapaculo lives in the eastern part of Peru's Andes mountains. You can find it roughly from southern Amazonas to central Huánuco Departments.
It prefers to live on the eastern slopes of these mountains. It can be found at high elevations, from 2,900 to 3,700 m (9,500 to 12,100 ft) above sea level. This bird makes its home in "elfin forests." These are special forests with small, twisted trees. It also lives at the edge of these forests, where they meet open grasslands called páramo.
The name "neblina" means "mist" in Spanish. This is a perfect name because its home is often very wet and misty!
Behavior and Diet
Scientists don't know much about what the neblina tapaculo eats. However, they believe it probably eats insects. This is common for many small birds.
We also don't know a lot about its breeding habits. The only information we have is that a young bird was seen in July.
The neblina tapaculo has a very distinct song. It's described as a fast series of sounds that go down in pitch. It sounds like a "dry churring" noise, like djrr djrr djrr djrr djrr djrr. You can listen to an example of its song online.
Status of the Species
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) is an organization that checks on how safe different animal species are. They have said that the neblina tapaculo is a species of "Least Concern." This means that, for now, there are enough of these birds, and they are not in danger of disappearing.
See also
In Spanish: Churrín de Neblina para niños
