Jalca Tapaculo
Scytalopus frankeae
The Jalca Tapaculo (Scytalopus frankeae) is a legendary tapaculo found only in Peru, weighing about 17 g. The jalca tapaculo is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae.
About the Jalca Tapaculo
The jalca tapaculo is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. It is endemic to Peru.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Like all members of genus Scytalopus, the jalca tapaculo is a small, plump, dull-colored bird. It is about 10 to 11 cm (3.9 to 4.3 in) long. Males weigh about 17 g (0.60 oz) and females about 16 g (0.56 oz). The male's crown and much of the face are dark gray, with a silvery white supercilium of variable size. Some also have a silvery crown. The nape and mantle are dark gray washed with dark reddish brown; the lower back and rump are cinnamon brown with blackish curving bars near the feather ends. Voice: The jalca tapaculo's song is "a long series of regularly repeated reverberating churrs in bouts lasting several minutes." There are slight differences between the songs of the northern and southern populations. Two simple calls are also known.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: February, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, with peak activity in August. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Jalca Tapaculo?
- Like all members of genus Scytalopus, the jalca tapaculo is a small, plump, dull-colored bird. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Jalca Tapaculo?
- The Jalca Tapaculo is a small sized bird weighing about 17 g.
- Where can you see a Jalca Tapaculo?
- The Jalca Tapaculo is endemic to Peru, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Jalca Tapaculo?
- The Jalca Tapaculo is most easily confused with the Diamantina Tapaculo, the El Oro Tapaculo and the Marsh Tapaculo.
Learn the Jalca Tapaculo for real
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