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Ocellated tapaculo
Photographed in Ecuador
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Rhinocryptidae
Genus:	Acropternis Cabanis & Heine, 1860
Species:	A. orthonyx
Binomial name
Acropternis orthonyx (Lafresnaye, 1843)

The ocellated tapaculo (Acropternis orthonyx) is a large bird found in the northern Andes in South America. It is a highly distinctive tapaculo; traditionally united with its closest relatives in the Rhinocryptidae, this family is paraphyletic with the Formicariidae (ground-antbirds) but instead of merging the tapaculos with the ground-antbird family, recent sources tend to split the antpittas from the Formicariidae.

This passerine averages 8.3-8.7 in (21–22 cm) in length and between 2.8 and 3.5 oz (80 and 100 gram). The bird is mostly black with large white spots, a brown flank, and a reddish head and throat. A call, apparently given by birds to announce their presence to conspecifics, is described as "loud, emphatic WHEEUW! whistle" which as it seems can be heard from a long distance.

It is sometimes divided into two subspecies: Acropternis orthonyx infuscatus is found in the mountains of Ecuador and northern Peru. The nominate subspecies A. o. orthonyx ranges further north, from the Cordillera Central and Cordillera Oriental of Colombia to the mountains of northwestern Venezuela, with small populations also present in the Cordillera Occidental (in Antioquia and the Páramo de Frontino at least). It is not usually found on the Amazonian slope of the East Colombian and Venezuelan mountains it inhabits; on the Cordillera Oriental it is only known so far in a few places between 8,200 and 10,000 ft (2,500-3,000 m) ASL. The northern and southern populations are barely distinguishable and many authors accept no subspecies at all.

It favors humid and rather low-growing forest with canopy heights of about 50–80 ft (15–25 m). Dominant trees can include for example Brunellia, Hieronyma rufa (Phyllanthaceae), Ocotea calophylla (Lauraceae), oaks (Quercus), glorytrees (Tibouchina) and Weinmannia, usually heavily overgrown with epiphytes. More important is the presence of a tangled understory with abundant stands of South American mountain bamboo (Chusquea), forming an impenetrable thicket together with other plants such as Geonoma weberbaueri palms or Ericaceae shrubs. Due to its dependence on bamboo thickets which only grow in clearings it seems to tolerate selective logging well and may actually benefit from it.

The ocellated tapaculo eats plant material and arthropods, which it digs up using both feet simultaneously. It is usually encountered in pairs or alone, hopping through bamboo along the forest floor. Preferring to stay close to the ground, it is more often heard than seen. It is possible to attract ocellated tapaculos with recorded or imitated calls, which they will approach to investigate from several kilometers away. Though shy and retiring and affected by habitat destruction like all forest birds of the tropical Americas, it is common enough to be considered a Species of least concern by the IUCN.

Footnotes

1. BirdLife International (2016). "Acropternis orthonyx". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22703554A93927865. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22703554A93927865.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. ^ Salaman et al. (2002)
3. Krabbe et al. (2006)
4. BLI (2008)

References

• Krabbe, Niels; Flórez, Pablo; Suárez, Gustavo; Castaño, José; Arango, Juan David & Duque, Arley (2006) The birds of Páramo de Frontino, western Andes of Colombia. Ornitologıá Colombiana 4: 39–50 . PDF fulltext
• Salaman, Paul G.W.; Stiles, F. Gary; Bohórquez, Clara Isabel; Álvarez-R., Mauricio; Umaña, Ana María; Donegan, Thomas M. & Cuervo, Andrés M. (2002): New and noteworthy bird records from the east slope of the Andes of Colombia. Caldasia 24(1): 157–189. PDF fulltext

v t e Genera of passerines and their extinct allies
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Clade: Psittacopasseres Order: Passeriformes
Passeriformes incertae sedis †Corvitalusoides †Jamna †Winnicavis †Yunnanus Acanthisitti Acanthisittidae Acanthisitta †Dendroscansor †Kuiornis †Pachyplichas †Traversia Xenicus Eupasseres Tyranni †Crosnoornis †Wieslochia Eurylaimides Calyptomenidae Calyptomena Smithornis Eurylaimidae Corydon Cymbirhynchus Eurylaimus Psarisomus Pseudocalyptomena Sarcophanops Serilophus Philepittidae Neodrepanis Philepitta Pittidae Erythropitta Hydrornis Pitta Sapayoidae Sapayoa Tyrannides See below ↓ Passeri See below ↓
Tyrannides Conopophagidae Cephalopterus Conopophaga Pittasoma Cotingidae Ampelioides Ampelion Carpodectes Carpornis Conioptilon Cotinga Doliornis Gymnoderus Haematoderus Lipaugus Querula Perissocephalus Phibalura Phoenicircus Phytotoma Pipreola Porphyrolaema Procnias Pyroderus Rupicola Snowornis Xipholena Zaratornis Formicariidae Chamaeza Formicarius Furnariidae Berlepschia †Pseudoseisuropsis Sclerurinae Geositta Sclerurus Dendrocolaptinae Dendrocolaptini Campylorhamphus Dendrexetastes Dendrocolaptes Dendroplex Drymornis Drymotoxeres Glyphorynchus Hylexetastes Lepidocolaptes Nasica Xiphocolaptes Xiphorhynchus Sittasomini Certhiasomus Dendrocincla Deconychura Sittasomus Furnariinae Xenops Pygarrhichini Microxenops Ochetorhynchus Pygarrhichas Furnariini Cinclodes Furnarius Geocerthia Limnornis Lochmias Phleocryptes Premnornis Pseudocolaptes Tarphonomus Upucerthia Philydorini Anabacerthia Anabazenops Ancistrops Automolus Cichlocolaptes Clibanornis Dendroma Heliobletus Megaxenops Philydor Syndactyla Thripadectes Synallaxini Acrobatornis Anumbius Aphrastura Asthenes Certhiaxis Coryphistera Cranioleuca Hellmayrea Leptasthenura Limnoctites Margarornis Mazaria Metopothrix Phacellodomus Premnoplex Pseudasthenes Pseudoseisura Roraimia Schoeniophylax Siptornis Spartonoica Sylviorthorhynchus Synallaxis Thripophaga Xenerpestes Grallariidae Cryptopezus Grallaria Grallaricula Hylopezus Myrmothera Melanopareiidae Melanopareia Pipridae Ceratopipra Chiroxiphia Chloropipo Corapipo Cryptopipo Heterocercus Ilicura Lepidothrix Machaeropterus Manacus Masius Neopelma Pipra Pseudopipra Tyranneutes Xenopipo Rhinocryptidae Acropternis Eleoscytalopus Eugralla Liosceles Merulaxis Myornis Psilorhamphus Pteroptochos Rhinocrypta Scelorchilus Scytalopus Teledromas Thamnophilidae Euchrepomidinae Euchrepomis Myrmornithinae Myrmornis Pygiptila Thamnistes Thamnophilinae Formicivorini Formicivora Myrmochanes Myrmotherula Terenura Microrhopiini Ammonastes Aprositornis Clytoctantes Epinecrophylla Microrhopias Myrmophylax Myrmorchilus Neoctantes Pithyini Cercomacra Cercomacroides Drymophila Gymnopithys Hypocnemis Oneillornis Phaenostictus Phlegopsis Pithys Rhegmatorhina Sciaphylax Willisornis Pyriglenini Akletos Ampelornis Gymnocichla Hafferia Hylophylax Hypocnemoides Myrmeciza Myrmelastes Myrmoborus Myrmoderus Percnostola Poliocrania Pyriglena Rhopornis Sclateria Sipia Thamnophilini Batara Biatas Cymbilaimus Dichrozona Dysithamnus Frederickena Herpsilochmus Hypoedaleus Isleria Mackenziaena Megastictus Radinopsyche Rhopias Sakesphoroides Sakesphorus Taraba Thamnomanes Thamnophilus Xenornis Tityridae Iodopleura Laniisoma Laniocera Myiobius Onychorhynchus Oxyruncus Pachyramphus Schiffornis Terenotriccus Tityra Xenopsaris Tyrannidae Agriornis Alectrurus Anairetes Aphanotriccus Arundinicola Atalotriccus Attila Calyptura Camptostoma Capsiempis Casiornis Cnemarchus Cnemotriccus Cnipodectes Colonia Colorhamphus Conopias Contopus Corythopis Culicivora Elaenia Empidonax Empidonomus Euscarthmus Fluvicola Griseotyrannus Gubernetes Guyramemua Hemitriccus Heteroxolmis Hirundinea Hymenops Inezia Knipolegus Lathrotriccus Legatus Lessonia Leptopogon Lophotriccus Machetornis Mecocerculus Megarynchus Mionectes Mitrephanes Muscigralla Muscipipra Muscisaxicola Myiarchus Myiodynastes Myiopagis Myiophobus Myiornis Myiotheretes Myiotriccus Myiozetetes Nengetus Neopipo Neoxolmis Nephelomyias Nesotriccus Ochthoeca Ochthornis Oncostoma Ornithion Phelpsia Philohydor Phyllomyias Phylloscartes Piprites Pitangus Platyrinchus Poecilotriccus Pogonotriccus Polystictus Pseudelaenia Pseudocolopteryx Pseudotriccus Pyrocephalus Pyrope Pyrrhomyias Ramphotrigon Rhynchocyclus Rhytipterna Satrapa Sayornis Serpophaga Silvicultrix Sirystes Stigmatura Sublegatus Suiriri Syrtidicola Tachuris Taeniotriccus Todirostrum Tolmomyias Tumbezia Tyrannopsis Tyrannulus Tyrannus Uromyias Xenotriccus Xolmis Zimmerius
Passeri †Resoviaornis Acanthizidae Acanthiza Acanthornis Aethomyias Aphelocephala Calamanthus Gerygone Hylacola Neosericornis Oreoscopus Origma Pachycare Pycnoptilus Pyrrholaemus Sericornis Smicrornis Atrichornithidae Atrichornis Callaeidae Callaeas †Heteralocha Philesturnus Climacteridae Climacteris Cormobates Cnemophilidae Cnemophilus Loboparadisea Dasyornithidae Dasyornis Maluridae Amytornithinae Amytornis Malurinae Malurini Chenorhamphus Clytomyias Malurus Sipodotus Stipiturini Stipiturus Melanocharitidae Melanocharis Oedistoma Rhamphocharis Toxorhamphus Meliphagidae Acanthagenys Acanthorhynchus Anthochaera Anthornis Ashbyia Bolemoreus Caligavis Certhionyx Cissomela Conopophila Entomyzon Epthianura Foulehaio Gavicalis Gliciphila Glycichaera Glycifohia Grantiella Guadalcanaria Gymnomyza Lichenostomus Lichmera Macgregoria Manorina Meliarchus Melidectes Melilestes Melionyx Meliphacator Meliphaga Melipotes Melithreptus Melitograis Microptilotis Myza Myzomela Nesoptilotis Oreornis Plectorhyncha Philemon Phylidonyris Ptiloprora Ptilotula Prosthemadera Purnella Pycnopygius Ramsayornis Stomiopera Stresemannia Sugomel Territornis Timeliopsis Trichodere Vosea Xanthotis Menuridae Menura Notiomystidae Notiomystis Orthonychidae Orthonyx †Palaeoscinidae Palaeoscinis Pardalotidae Pardalotus Pomatostomidae Garritornis Pomatostomus Ptilonorhynchidae Ailuroedus Amblyornis Archboldia Chlamydera Prionodura Ptilonorhynchus Scenopoeetes †Sericuloides Sericulus Corvides See Corvides Passerida See Passerida

• IUCN Red List least concern species
• Rhinocryptidae
• Tapaculos
• Birds of the Colombian Andes
• Birds of the Venezuelan Andes
• Birds of the Ecuadorian Andes
• Birds described in 1843
• Taxa named by Frédéric de Lafresnaye