Scelorchilus rubecula
Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%
The chucao tapaculo (Scelorchilus rubecula) is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. It is found in central Chile and adjacent Argentina; it has also been recorded in Chile's Magallanes Province. The chucao tapaculo has two subspecies. The nominate Scelorchilus rubecula rubecula is primarily found in central Chile from the Biobío Region south to the Aysén Region and the adjoining parts of Argentina. It has occasionally been recorded further north and once in the far southern Magallanes Province. The other subspecies, S. r. mochae, is found only on Mocha Island off the Chilean coast.
The chucao tapaculo is 18.5 to 19 cm (7.3 to 7.5 in) long. Three specimens of unknown sex weighed 42.6 to 45.4 g (1.50 to 1.60 oz) and a single male specimen weighed 53.7 g (1.89 oz). The adult is dusky brown above; much of the face and the throat and upper breast are rufous. The rest of the breast is dark gray with white bars and the flanks and vent are reddish brown to olive brown.
The chucao tapaculo occurs from sea level to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) elevation. Its habitat is temperate and humid forests. It is typically... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 2 | Nahuel Huapi National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Chucao Tapaculo sighting in Nahuel Huapi National Park on a given day, based on 503 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 19th most-seen of the 111 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–March and May
In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Chucao Tapaculo in Nahuel Huapi National Park on a given day, against about 20% in June–July and September, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Chucao 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.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Chucao Tapaculo sightings, Nahuel Huapi National Park ranks 2nd at about 40%. The best odds are in Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park (Chile, about 70%).
Same family: Rhinocryptidae
The closest relatives of the Chucao Tapaculo that you can see in Nahuel Huapi National Park (family Rhinocryptidae, Tapaculos) are Magellanic Tapaculo (about 20%) and Black-throated Huet-huet (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Chucao Tapaculo is recorded against all the birds logged in Nahuel Huapi National Park (503 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.
