Paramillo Tapaculo
EN

Paramillo Tapaculo

Scytalopus canus

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramillo_tapaculo

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Paramillo Tapaculo faces severe habitat loss due to deforestation and agricultural expansion within its extremely limited range in the Colombian Andes. Mining activities and cattle ranching have fragmented the cloud forest habitats essential for this species' survival. Climate change poses an additional threat by shifting the altitudinal zones where suitable humid montane forests can persist, potentially forcing this already range-restricted species into even smaller refugia.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits humid montane cloud forests and elfin woodlands at elevations between 2,000-3,200 meters in the Cordillera Occidental of Colombia. It requires dense understory vegetation with thick moss cover and abundant epiphytes characteristic of these high-altitude Andean ecosystems.

Other threatened species in Rhinocryptidae

Tacarcuna TapaculoVU

Tacarcuna Tapaculo

Scytalopus panamensis

Unknown
Scytalopus chocoensisEN

Scytalopus chocoensis

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Paramillo Tapaculo classified as Endangered?
Paramillo Tapaculo is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. The Paramillo Tapaculo faces severe habitat loss due to deforestation and agricultural expansion within its extremely limited range in the Colombian Andes. Mining activities and cattle ranching have fragmented the cloud forest habitats essential for this species' survival. Climate change poses an additional threat by shifting the altitudinal zones where suitable humid montane forests can persist, potentially forcing this already range-restricted species into even smaller refugia.
Where does Paramillo Tapaculo live?
Paramillo Tapaculo occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Paramillo Tapaculo?
The main threats to Paramillo Tapaculo are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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