Marsh Tapaculo
Encyclopedia
The Marsh Tapaculo is a recently-discovered passerine
bird
which belongs to the genus
Scytalopus
, a genus of tapaculo
s. It is also known as the Wetland Tapaculo or Tall-grass Wetland Tapaculo. It is endemic to Brazil
.
It is a small, dumpy bird with broad tail-feathers and a total length of approximately 12.5 cm. The upperparts are plain blackish in colour while the underparts are dark grey. The flanks are slightly barred with brown, at least in young birds
. The legs are reddish-brown and the bill is dark. The song
includes a long series of short 'tchek' notes. The birds run rapidly and will fly short distances when flushed.
It was first sighted on April 19, 1997 in wetlands beside the Iraí River near Curitiba
in southern Brazil. Until recently it was generally believed to be restricted to about two dozen sites in the eastern part of Paraná
and Rio Grande do Sul
, but has now been discovered in the highlands of Minas Gerais
– far north of its previously known range.
It occurs in seasonally-flooded grassland
in the floodplain
s of rivers. It inhabits areas of tall (60–180 cm), dense vegetation dominated by sedge
s (such as Eleocharis
) and grass
es. It forages at or near ground-level and feeds on small arthropod
s, mainly insects such as bugs
and beetle
s. Breeding occurs in late spring.
It is classified as an endangered species
due to its small and declining population and destruction of its habitat
. Threats include drainage
, sand extraction, burning of grassland and the flooding of land due to the construction of dam
s. Despite the recently discovered populations in Minas Gerais, some of which are within protected areas (the national parks of Serra do Cipó
and Serra da Canastra
, and the private reserve Serra do Caraça), it has been recommended not downgrading it to a lower threatened status, but it remains to be seen if this will be followed.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
which belongs to the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Scytalopus
Scytalopus
Scytalopus is a genus of small passerine birds belonging to the tapaculo group. They are found in South and Central America from Tierra del Fuego to Costa Rica, but are absent from the Amazon Basin. They inhabit dense vegetation at or near ground-level and are mainly found in mountainous regions,...
, a genus of tapaculo
Tapaculo
The tapaculos are a group of small suboscine passeriform birds with numerous species, found mainly in South America and with the highest diversity in the Andean regions...
s. It is also known as the Wetland Tapaculo or Tall-grass Wetland Tapaculo. It is endemic to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
It is a small, dumpy bird with broad tail-feathers and a total length of approximately 12.5 cm. The upperparts are plain blackish in colour while the underparts are dark grey. The flanks are slightly barred with brown, at least in young birds
Juvenile (organism)
A juvenile is an individual organism that has not yet reached its adult form, sexual maturity or size. Juveniles sometimes look very different from the adult form, particularly in terms of their colour...
. The legs are reddish-brown and the bill is dark. The song
Bird song
Bird vocalization includes both bird calls and bird songs. In non-technical use, bird songs are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear. In ornithology and birding, songs are distinguished by function from calls.-Definition:The distinction between songs and calls is based upon...
includes a long series of short 'tchek' notes. The birds run rapidly and will fly short distances when flushed.
It was first sighted on April 19, 1997 in wetlands beside the Iraí River near Curitiba
Curitiba
Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...
in southern Brazil. Until recently it was generally believed to be restricted to about two dozen sites in the eastern part of Paraná
Paraná (state)
Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...
and Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
, but has now been discovered in the highlands of Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
– far north of its previously known range.
It occurs in seasonally-flooded grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
in the floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
s of rivers. It inhabits areas of tall (60–180 cm), dense vegetation dominated by sedge
Cyperaceae
Cyperaceae are a family of monocotyledonous graminoid flowering plants known as sedges, which superficially resemble grasses or rushes. The family is large, with some 5,500 species described in about 109 genera. These species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group...
s (such as Eleocharis
Eleocharis
Eleocharis is a genus of 250 or more species of flowering plants in the sedge family, Cyperaceae. They are known commonly as spikerushes, although spikesedges is a more technically appropriate name and most scientists who study them in earnest refer to them as such...
) and grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
es. It forages at or near ground-level and feeds on small arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s, mainly insects such as bugs
Hemiptera
Hemiptera is an order of insects most often known as the true bugs , comprising around 50,000–80,000 species of cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, shield bugs, and others...
and beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s. Breeding occurs in late spring.
It is classified as an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
due to its small and declining population and destruction of its habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
. Threats include drainage
Drainage
Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from an area. Many agricultural soils need drainage to improve production or to manage water supplies.-Early history:...
, sand extraction, burning of grassland and the flooding of land due to the construction of dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s. Despite the recently discovered populations in Minas Gerais, some of which are within protected areas (the national parks of Serra do Cipó
Serra do Cipó National Park
The Serra do Cipó National Park is located 100 km from Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais state, Brazil, between 43°–44° W and 19°–20° S.-External links:** *...
and Serra da Canastra
Serra da Canastra National Park
The Serra da Canastra National Park is located in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, between 20º00’—20º30’ S and 46º15’—47º00’ W.-External links:** *...
, and the private reserve Serra do Caraça), it has been recommended not downgrading it to a lower threatened status, but it remains to be seen if this will be followed.