Paramillo Tapaculo
Scytalopus canus
A poorly known tapaculo found at high elevations near tree line in the northern reaches of Colombia’s western Andes. It was formerly considered a race of the more widespread Paramo Tapaculo. Adult is uniform gray, lacking obvious markings and without the brown coloration found on many other Andean tapaculos. Young birds are brown and heavily barred. Inhabits tangled understory of stunted forest and clumps of small bushes. Song is a long series of buzzy notes that is steady in pace but descends gradually in pitch.
Identification
The Paramillo tapaculo resembles other Scytalopus tapaculos, being overall dark grey, but lacking the brown lower flanks of the Paramo tapaculo.
Taxonomy
It has traditionally included the more widespread S. opacus as a subspecies, but under the common name Paramo tapaculo (a name now used exclusively for S. opacus). The two have different voices, leading to them being split into separate species in 2010.
- Scientific name
- Scytalopus canus
- Authority
- Chapman, 1915
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Rhinocryptidae
- Genus
- Scytalopus
Range and habitat
The Paramillo tapaculo is endemic to humid highland scrub in the Cordillera Occidental in Colombia. At present it is only known from Páramo de Paramillo and Páramo de Frontino (also known as Paramo del Sol). It may occur elsewhere in the Cordillera Occidental of Colombia. It is restricted to a narrow swath of treeline vegetation (scrub, stunted trees and Polylepis woodland) situated between montane forest and Páramo grasslands that is often just hundreds of meters wide.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
Given the estimated extent of occurrence and observed decline in the extent and quality of habitat, the Paramillo tapaculo has an IUCN status of near threatened. While locally common, the estimated area of suitable habitat within the known range of the Paramillo tapaculo is 3 km2 in total. Only 0.1 km2 is effectively protected by the Fundación ProAves Colibri del Sol Bird Reserve (which also harbours the highly threatened dusky starfrontlet and Fenwick's antpitta). Páramo de Paramillo is a national park, but very poorly protected.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Yellow-footed Honeyguide
Melignomon eisentrauti
Medium-sized honeyguide with a plain face, a slim pale bill, yellow legs, and large white patches in the outer tail. Found in the middle levels and canopy of humid forest at low and middle elevations. The distinctive vocalization is a series of around a dozen rising “sveeya” notes. The series slows down and becomes slightly lower-pitched at the end. Very similar to Zenker’s Honeyguide, but there is only minor overlap in range, and Yellow-footed is paler overall with more white in the tail. Similar to other honeyguides, but separated by the slim bill and the yellow legs. Separated from most greenbuls by the white in the tail, and from Honeyguide and Sjöstedt's Greenbuls by the smaller size and shorter tail.
Seram Bush Warbler
Locustella musculus
A sparrow-sized dark warbler with an often scruffy-looking, graduated tail. Has dark chestnut-brown upperparts, a whitish eyebrow, a distinct white throat, and dull grayish underparts. Formerly grouped with Sulawesi Bush Warbler and Buru Bush Warbler under the name “Chestnut-backed Bush Warbler.” A secretive inhabitant of montane and foothill forest, often creeping around on or near the ground. Darker above and dingier below than Gray’s and Middendorff's Grasshopper-Warblers, and also has a clean-cut white throat; almost identical to Buru and Sulawesi Bush Warblers, but ranges do not overlap. Song is a dry, buzzy series of notes: “tzit-tzit-tzeet.”
Barka Indigobird
Vidua larvaticola
A nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of Black-faced Firefinch. Breeding males are glossy black with blue or blue-green iridescence and a pale brownish panel in the wings. Females and non-breeding males are brown and streaky on the back and pale below, with a bold facial pattern. The bill is white and the legs pinkish. Found in woodland, grassland, and thickets, often near water. Breeding males can be identified with care by their vocalizations and by their blue or blue-green gloss. Non-breeding males and females cannot be separated visually from other indigobirds. Imitates the vocalizations of its host firefinches, including soft, repeated whistles.
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