Scytalopus micropterus
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The long-tailed tapaculo (Scytalopus micropterus) is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. It is found in the eastern Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and far northern Peru. The long-tailed tapaculo was formerly considered a subspecies of rufous-vented tapaculo (Scytalopus femoralis) but was separated based principally on differences in their vocalizations. They are now classed as sister species.
The long-tailed tapaculo is one of the larger species of genus Scytalopus, and, compared to other Scytalopus species, its tail is relatively long. It is 13.5 cm (5.3 in) long overall and males weigh from 27 to 32.5 g (0.95 to 1.15 oz). Otherwise the long-tailed tapaculo has few distinctive morphological features: The male's plumage is drab, primarily dark gray with russet brown flanks that are barred with black. The female is similar but even drabber.
The long-tailed tapaculo's song typically begins with a series of single notes, but quickly turns into a series of couplets [1]. Its alarm call is a descending series. The long-tailed tapaculo occurs along the east slopes of the Andes from Colombia south to northern... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Podocarpus National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Chingaza National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Long-tailed Tapaculo sighting in Chingaza National Natural Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 208th most-seen of the 258 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Long-tailed Tapaculo in Chingaza National Natural Park on a given day, against under 5% in June to April, the lowest months.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Long-tailed Tapaculo sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Long-tailed Tapaculo sightings, Chingaza National Natural Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Podocarpus National Park (Ecuador, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Long-tailed Tapaculo is recorded against all the birds logged in Chingaza National Natural Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
