The blackish tapaculo is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Region
Northern Andes
Typical Environment
Found in humid montane forests and cloud forests from western Venezuela through Colombia and Ecuador into northern Peru. It favors dense understory, especially bamboo (Chusquea), tangled vine thickets, and mossy ravines. Birds often occur near forest edges, along shaded streambanks, and in secondary growth if sufficient cover remains. Though elusive, it can be locally common where suitable understory is intact.
Altitude Range
1200–3500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A secretive understory specialist, the blackish tapaculo is often heard long before it is seen, delivering persistent series of notes from dense cover. It typically keeps its short tail cocked and dashes mouse-like through bamboo and mossy thickets. Vocal variation across its range has prompted taxonomic studies and occasional reclassification within this complex group.
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; reluctant to fly, usually dashes low through cover
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs, maintaining small territories in dense understory. Nests are typically domed or ball-like structures of moss and fibers placed on or near the ground, often on banks. Pairs communicate frequently with calls from concealed perches and may duet.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a persistent, rhythmic series of clear notes or trills that may accelerate or change pitch, carrying surprisingly far for such a small bird. Calls include sharp ticks and harsh churrs given from deep cover.
Plumage
Overall sooty to blackish-gray with darker upperparts and paler, finely barred brownish flanks and vent; plumage is soft and matte, aiding camouflage in dim understory.
Diet
Primarily consumes small arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and other invertebrates gleaned from leaf litter and low vegetation. It probes mossy logs, bamboo culms, and tangles for hidden prey. Occasional ingestion of small seeds or berries may occur but is minor compared to animal prey.
Preferred Environment
Feeds near the ground in dense, shaded understory, especially in bamboo and along damp ravines. Often forages along narrow trails, fallen logs, and stream edges where cover is thick.
