• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category
This species is restricted to an Area of Occupancy of 72 km². Its range is severely fragmented, with continuing decline in area and quality of habitat (MMA 2014). It is therefore listed as Endangered.

Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but this species is described as 'rare' (Stotz et al. 1996).

Trend justification
Despite a lack of data on population trends, slow declines are suspected to be occurring, owing to habitat loss and degradation.

Scytalopus novacapitalis occurs in swampy gallery forest and dense streamside vegetation in Goiás, Distrito Federal and west Minas Gerais, central Brazil. It is mostly rare, occurring at low densities, but can be locally common (Silveira 1998). It is known from six protected areas (Wege and Long 1995, Machado et al. 1998), and suitable habitat has been less affected by clearance for agriculture than adjacent campo cerrado habitats. Nevertheless, the annual burning of adjacent grasslands must limit the availability and extent of suitable habitat (Machado et al. 1998). Wetland drainage and the sequestration of water for irrigation schemes is further reducing habitat (Machado et al. 1998).

This species occurs in swampy gallery forest and dense streamside vegetation at 860-1100 m. It is strongly associated with permanently flooded areas dominated by Blechnum ferns and Euterpe palms (del Hoyo et al. 2003).

The population trend is suspected to be declining moderately rapidly owing to habitat loss and degradation. Due to the low agricultural potential of this species's favoured habitat, it has not been greatly affected by clearance for agriculture. Nevertheless, the annual burning of adjacent grasslands must limit the availability and extent of suitable habitat (Machado et al. 1998). Wetland drainage and the sequestration of water for irrigation schemes is further reducing habitat (Machado et al. 1998). The species’s range is severely fragmented, with continuing decline in area and quality of habitat owing to pollution, water extraction, trampling by livestock and mining.

Conservation Actions Underway
This species is known from six protected areas (Wege and Long 1995, Machado et al. 1998).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Repeat surveys of known sites to determine rates of range contraction and population trends. Conduct further studies to determine whether this species can tolerate secondary or disturbed habitats or fragmentation.

11.5 cm. Small, whitish and grey, ground-dwelling bird. Dark plumbeous head and upperparts. Whitish lores. Paler underparts, with whitish centre of throat and breast, diffusing into grey on flanks. Buffy rufous rump and vent, faintly barred dusky. Dusky tail and tertials tinged brownish. Yellowish-orange legs. Dusky bill with yellowish base to mandible. Voice Song is series of slightly rising mechanic shet notes, repeated for up to more than two minutes. Alarm call is warbled, higher-pitched and fast cheh-the-the.

Text account compilers
Gilroy, J., Butchart, S., Sharpe, C.J., Symes, A., Hermes, C.

Contributors
de Melo Júnior, T., Willis, E., Pacheco, J.F., Oniki, Y.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Brasilia Tapaculo Scytalopus novacapitalis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/brasilia-tapaculo-scytalopus-novacapitalis on 23/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/12/2024.