- Scytalopus whitneyi
Identification
10-11 cm
Male
- Overall impression dark grey both above and below
- Lores and preocular area black
- Supercilium and forehead have a paler grey wash which in some birds is more whitish
- Lower back and rump, flanks and undertail coverts with dull brownish barring
- Tail feathers (best seen on slightly spread tail) with longitudinal yellowish-brown markings
- Eye dark brown
- Bill black
- Legs and feet dark brown
Female
- Slightly paler overall
- Upperside with reddish-brown wash
- Barring at the rear extends further forward on the bird
Similar species
In some areas seems to be co-occurring with or at least adjacent to Vilcabamba Tapaculo and Trilling Tapaculo.
Distribution
Eastern Andes of south-central Peru (Apurímac and Ayacucho)
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Ampay Tapaculo is a recently described taxon (2020). Before being described it had two unofficial names, "Ayacucho Tapaculo" being the other.
Habitat
Montane forest and shrubbery, but the exact type varies geographically (excluded from forest in Ayacucho). Found between 3,150-4,500 m asl.
Behaviour
Very difficult to observe as it hides in vegetation. Presumably, insects and similar invertebrates are an important source of food.
Vocalisation
The primary song consists of a single downslurred note (chip) repeated with about 2 notes per second. The series can continue for a long time.
The secondary song is a series of churrs with about two churrs per second. Each churr consists of about 6 up-down strokes and lasts about 0.12 seconds, and the pitch is falling within each churr.
The scolding call consists of 2-3 rising notes and lasts up to ½ second.
There are indications that the two populations differ a little in their vocalizations.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Krabbe et al. 2020. Paper describing this and a couple of other Tapaculo species.
- Kirwan, G. M. (2021). Ampay Tapaculo (Scytalopus whitneyi), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (B. K. Keeney, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.amptap1.01.1
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Ampay Tapaculo. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Ampay_Tapaculo
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
