The silvery-fronted tapaculo (Scytalopus argentifrons) is a species of bird in the family Rhinocryptidae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.[2]
| Silvery-fronted tapaculo | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Rhinocryptidae |
| Genus: | Scytalopus |
| Species: | S. argentifrons
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| Binomial name | |
| Scytalopus argentifrons Ridgway, 1891
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Taxonomy and systematics
editThe silvery-fronted tapaculo has two subspecies, the nominate "silvery-fronted" Scytalopus argentifrons argentifrons and the "Chiriqui" S. a. chiriquensis. The Chiriqui subspecies has at times been considered a separate species.[3]
Description
editThe silvery-fronted tapaculo is 11 cm (4.3 in) long and weighs 17 g (0.60 oz). The male of the nominate subspecies is mostly sooty black; the lower breast and belly are paler. The flanks and crissum (the area around the cloaca) are brownish red. It has a silvery forehead (the "front") and a white supercilium. The male Chiriqui is darker with a less prominent supercilium. The females of both subspecies do not have a supercilium; their upper parts are dark brown, the throat and breast are dark gray, the belly blackish, and the flanks and crissum brighter brownish red than the male's. The juvenile is similar to the female but darker with brown "scales" on the underparts.[3]
Distribution and habitat
editThe silvery-fronted tapaculo is the only member of its family whose entire range is in Central America. (The Tacarcuna tapaculo, S. panamensis, is found in far southern Panama and Colombia.) It inhabits the Talamancan montane forests at elevations of 1,000 to 3,000 m (3,300 to 9,800 ft). The Chiriqui subspecies is found only in western Panama. The nominate S. a. argentifrons has the wider range, from western Panama north through Costa Rica almost to the border with Nicaragua. If frequents thickets and bamboo in the undergrowth of humid primary forest and secondary forest, especially in ravines and along streams.[3]
Behavior
editFeeding
editThe silvery-fronted tapaculo forages for insects and other arthropods while creeping and hopping along the ground.[3]
Breeding
editThe silvery-fronted tapaculo's breeding phenology has not been described.[3]
Vocalization
editThe silvery-fronted tapaculo's song is a series of notes that slow but get louder during its five to 10 second duration [1]. Its call is similar but shorter [2].[3]
Status
editThe IUCN has assessed the silvery-fronted tapaculo as being of Least Concern. Though it has a restricted range and its population number is not known, it appears to be fairly common and occurs in protected areas.[1][3]
References
edit- ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Scytalopus argentifrons". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22703510A93926445. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22703510A93926445.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (January 2021). "IOC World Bird List (v 11.1)". Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Krabbe, N. and T. S. Schulenberg (2020). Silvery-fronted Tapaculo (Scytalopus argentifrons), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.siftap1.01 retrieved April 29, 2021