The ash-colored tapaculo is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs along the Andean slopes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, mainly in humid montane and cloud forests. It favors dense, mossy understory, thickets of Chusquea bamboo, and forest edges with heavy ground cover. Often stays close to the ground, using fallen logs, root tangles, and shrub bases for cover. It tolerates some habitat disturbance if thick understory remains intact.
Altitude Range
2200–4000 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The ash-colored tapaculo is a secretive ground-dwelling bird of the Andean cloud forests and the sole member of the genus Myornis. It keeps to dense understory and bamboo tangles, where it is more often heard than seen. Its simple, repetitive song is a key cue for detection during surveys.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; low, brief flights through dense cover
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs, keeping to territories within dense understory. Nests are typically placed low, often in earthen banks or hidden in thick vegetation, with a domed or tunnel-like structure. Both members of a pair may contribute to territory defense and parental care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A simple, repetitive series of high-pitched notes or trills that can accelerate slightly and carry well through the forest. Calls include sharp chips and ticking notes given from hidden perches, especially at dawn and dusk.
Plumage
Mostly uniform ash-gray with slightly darker wings and tail; faint dusky barring on the flanks and undertail coverts. Throat and breast can be subtly paler; plumage appears soft and matte. Minimal contrast and no bold facial pattern.
Diet
Feeds primarily on small arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and other invertebrates gleaned from leaf litter, moss, and tangled roots. It probes crevices, pecks among fallen leaves, and inspects bamboo stems and bases. Occasional ingestion of small berries may occur but is not a major food source.
Preferred Environment
Forages close to the ground in dense understory, bamboo thickets, and along fallen logs. Often works shaded, moist microhabitats where leaf litter accumulates and insect prey is abundant.
