About
The Tachira Antpitta is only known from four specimens, all of which were male.
These specimens were collected in 1956 and this species not been seen since then, leading to fears this species may have gone extinct. Although, it may just persist within a large national park, with a tiny population, as there are remote areas within the El Tama National Park, which are possibly suitable for this species. The Grallaria genus of ground antpittas were once placed in the Formicidae, ground antbird family, but recent analyses suggest that the group is divergent enough to warrant separate family status into their own family, the Grallariidae. Since 1996, the rio Chiquito valley was entirely coffee plantations below 1,600 metres and the habitat at 1,900-2,200 was converted to grow vegetables. This habitat conversion was likely to cause the decline seen in this species.
- Order: Passeriformes
- Family: Grallariidae
- Population: <50
- Trend: decreasing
- Size: 17cm
EDGE Score
Distribution
The species is found at Hacienda la Providencia on the Rio Chiquito in south-west Táchira, west Venezuela.
Habitat and Ecology
This species was found at an altitude between 1,800-2,100 metres above sea level in subtropical, cloud forest.