Scytalopus pachecoi
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The Planalto tapaculo (Scytalopus pachecoi) is a small passerine bird in family Rhinocryptidae. It is found in southeastern Brazil and extreme northeastern Argentina. The Planalto tapaculos was previously included in the mouse-colored tapaculo (Scytalopus speluncae) but was described as a new species in 2005 based on differences in plumage and vocalizations. Its specific epithet honors Fernando Pacheco, a Brazilian ornithologist.
The Planalto tapaculo is about 12 cm (4.7 in) long and weighs about 15 g (0.53 oz). The male's upperparts are mainly dark gray and the underparts paler gray. The flanks are buff with dark bars, which differentiate it from the similar but unbarred mouse-colored tapaculo. The female is browner and the juvenile has not been described.
The Planalto tapaculo is known from southern Brazil (several parts of Rio Grande do Sul and southeastern Santa Catarina) and extreme northeast Misiones Province of Argentina. It inhabits forest and forest edge where it is often found near streams and in undergrowth such as bamboo thickets. It has been found at higher densities in secondary forest than... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Planalto Tapaculo sighting in Iguaçu National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 341st most-seen of the 346 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Planalto Tapaculo in Iguaçu National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Planalto Tapaculo sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 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 Planalto Tapaculo sightings, Iguaçu National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Iguazú National Park (Argentina, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Planalto Tapaculo is recorded against all the birds logged in Iguaçu National 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.
