chucao

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the chucao tapaculo (Scelorchilus rubecula), a secretive, loud-calling forest bird with a reddish throat and breast, native to central and southern Chile and adjacent Argentina

   A chucao called from the dense forest floor but remained hidden among the fallen branches.

Borrowed through Chilean Spanish chucao from Mapudungun chukaw, the bird's name, often treated as an imitation of its conspicuous call. Historical spellings include chucau and Darwin's cheucau. Chucao tapaculo is the current English common name for Scelorchilus rubecula.

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