The Magellanic tapaculo is a small passerine bird in the tapaculo family Rhinocryptidae that is found in southern South America.
Region
Patagonia and southern Andes
Typical Environment
Occurs in temperate forests and shrublands of southern Chile and adjacent Argentina, from coastal forests to Andean foothills. It favors dense, moist understory with abundant mosses, leaf litter, and bamboo (often Chusquea). Common in Nothofagus beech woods, forest edges, and riparian thickets. It also uses wind-sheltered ravines and scrubby slopes, especially where ground cover is continuous. The species keeps near the ground, weaving through tangles and using root masses and logs for cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Magellanic tapaculo is a secretive ground-dwelling songbird of the dense understory, more often heard than seen. It frequents southern beech (Nothofagus) forests and bamboo tangles, where it runs and hops mouse-like with its tail often cocked. Despite its tiny size and weak flight, its ringing trills carry far through Patagonian forests. Pairs defend territories year-round and nest in well-concealed cavities or burrows lined with moss and fibers.
Watercolour made by Georg Forster on the island of Tierra del Fuego on James Cook's second voyage to the Pacific Ocean. This painting is the holotype for the species.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically encountered as single birds or pairs that maintain small territories year-round. Nests are well hidden, often in earthen banks, root tangles, or cavities, forming a moss-lined ball with a side entrance. Both adults are attentive to the nest, and fledglings remain close to dense cover.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a loud, ringing series of rapid, metallic trills that may accelerate or maintain a steady tempo. Calls include sharp chips and ticking notes, delivered from concealed perches within dense vegetation.
