Tit-spinetails are small passerine birds of the genus Leptasthenura, belonging to the ovenbird family Furnariidae. They are found in South America, particularly the southern and Andean parts of the continent. They are somewhat similar to birds of the tit family in their shape and feeding behaviour, hence the first part of their name. The "spinetail" part of their name refers to their long, pointed tail feathers. Tit-spinetails have short rounded wings, short pointed bills and are mainly brown in colour. Their nests are built in holes or the old nests of other birds.
Taxonomy The genus Leptasthenura was introduced in 1853 by the German naturalist Ludwig Reichenbach. The name combines the Ancient Greek leptos meaning "thin", asthenēs meaning "weak" and oura meaning "tail". The type species was designated as the plain-mantled tit-spinetail by George Robert Gray in 1855.
Species The genus contains nine species:
Image Scientific name Common name Distribution Leptasthenura fuliginiceps Brown-capped tit-spinetail puna and sierras de Cordoba Leptasthenura platensis Tufted tit-spinetail Argentina and Uruguay Leptasthenura aegithaloides Plain-mantled tit-spinetail southern Peru to northern Patagonia Leptasthenura striolata Striolated tit-spinetail southern Brazil Leptasthenura pileata Rusty-crowned tit-spinetail Peruvian Andes Leptasthenura xenothorax White-browed tit-spinetail southern Peru Leptasthenura striata Streak-backed tit-spinetail puna grassland Leptasthenura andicola Andean tit-spinetail northern Andes Leptasthenura setaria Araucaria tit-spinetail southern Brazil and northern selva misionera
The tawny tit-spinetail is placed together with Des Murs's wiretail in the genus Sylviorthorhynchus.
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