Moustached Turca Pteroptochos megapodius Scientific name definitions

The Moustached Turca is a charismatic Chilean endemic. It is a very vocal species, and despite its large size and preference for rather open habitat, it is far easier to hear than to see. Its peculiar song and calls are characteristic sounds of the dry scrubby valleys of central Chile. It is a large tapaculo which is currently placed in the genus Pteroptochos, together with the huet-huets. The species has massive feet and thick legs with a brown body and a wide, white "moustache" stripe on the face. It is most frequently observed on the ground on sandy or rocky slopes with its tail cocked up above the back in a wren-like fashion.