Crested gallito

Crested gallito
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Rhinocryptidae
Genus:	Rhinocrypta G.R. Gray, 1841
Species:	R. lanceolata
Binomial name
Rhinocrypta lanceolata (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, I, 1832)

The crested gallito (Rhinocrypta lanceolata) is a species of suboscine passerine bird in the tapaculo family Rhinocryptidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Rhinocrypta. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. ^[2]

Taxonomy

The crested gallito is the only species in its genus. Two subspecies are recognized, the nominate Rhinocrypta lanceolata lanceolata and R. l. saturata, which was described in 1939. ^[2] The crested gallito is genetically most closely related to the sandy gallito (Teledromas fuscus). ^[3]

Description

The crested gallito is 21 cm (8.3 in) long. The male weighs 59 to 63.5 g (2.08 to 2.24 oz) and the female 51.5 to 64 g (1.82 to 2.26 oz). It is an unusual tapaculo, having long crown feathers that it often erects as a crest and even bends forward. It also has a long tail that it cocks upward. The nominate subspecies' head is cinnamon with white streaks, its upper parts including wings and tail olive gray. The throat and chest are pale gray, the sides of the breast chestnut, and the lower belly olive gray. R. l. saturata is similar but all of the colors are darker. ^[4]

Distribution and habitat

The nominate subspecies of crested gallito ranges from northern Argentina through the central part of the country south to northern Río Negro Province and southern Buenos Aires Province. R. l. saturata is found in southeastern Bolivia and western Paraguay. ^{[4] [2]}

The crested gallito inhabits Chaco forest from sea level to 1,800 m (5,900 ft), though R. l. saturata is found only in the lower elevations. It frequents thorny brush and undergrowth. ^[4]

Behavior

Feeding

The crested gallito forages on the ground or through low branches for arthropods.

Breeding

The crested gallito's nest is a ball of grass and other materials lined with hair or wool placed 1 to 2 m (3.3 to 6.6 ft) up in a dense bush or small tree. Up to three eggs are laid, usually between September and December. Both sexes incubate. Shiny cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis) are known to parasitize the nest. ^[4]

Vocalization

The crested gallito sings only during the breeding season, with "a loud, resonant, 'chirrup'...at intervals of 2-4 seconds." . The call is "a trilled 'wheer'" . [4]

Status

The IUCN has assessed the crested gallito as of Least Concern. It is overall uncommon but locally fairly common and occurs in several protected areas in Argentina. The population is not known but is believed to be stable. ^{[1] [4]}

References

1. BirdLife International (2016). "Rhinocrypta lanceolata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22703440A93923185. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22703440A93923185.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
2. Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (January 2021). "IOC World Bird List (v 11.1)" . Retrieved January 14, 2021.
3. Harvey, M.G.; et al. (2020). "The evolution of a tropical biodiversity hotspot". Science. 370 (6522): 1343–1348. doi:10.1126/science.aaz6970. hdl: 10138/329703 . A high resolution version of the phylogenetic tree in Figure 1 is available from the first author's website here.
4. Krabbe, N. and T. S. Schulenberg (2020). Crested Gallito (Rhinocrypta lanceolata), 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.cregal1.01 retrieved April 24, 2021

• Media related to Rhinocrypta lanceolata at Wikimedia Commons