Ecuadorian Tapaculo Scytalopus robbinsi

Rare and endangered tapaculo found only in a small area of wet foothill rainforest in the Andes of southwestern Ecuador. Plumage is mostly gray with a brown belly that has dark barring. Rump, nape, and wings may also be brown, and more so on female. Similar to female Blackish Tapaculo, but has barring on lower underparts and a different voice, and is found at lower elevations. Stays near the ground in dense, dark forest understory where it is very hard to see. Song is a very long series of notes that starts rather slow, but soon accelerates into a rapid “peter-peter-peter…”