Loja Tapaculo Scytalopus androstictus

Small, mouse-like bird found in the high Andes of southern Ecuador and northern Peru. Male is mostly dark gray; female has brown upperparts and gray underparts. Both sexes have very faint barring on lower underparts and a few white feathers on the shoulder. The latter feature is shared by no other tapaculo in range, but can be quite inconspicuous in the field, so voice is usually the best way to confirm the ID. Typical song is a long, rattling trill lasting ten seconds or more; also gives short bursts repeated every few seconds. Inhabits high elevation forest and scrub near and above tree line. Usually stays low and can be hard to see. Formerly considered a subspecies of Paramo Tapaculo.