Schiffornis is a genus of South American bird in the family Tityridae. It has traditionally been placed in the manakin family, but evidence strongly suggest it is better placed in Tityridae,Adopt the Family Tityridae - South American Classification Committee (2007) where now placed by SACC. In addition to schiffornis, they are sometimes referred to as mourners; a name shared with members of the genera Laniocera, Laniisoma and Rhytipterna.
Taxonomy The genus Schiffornis was introduced in 1854 by the French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte. Although Bonaparte listed three species in his new genus, two of these were undescribed and therefore nomina nuda. The remaining species, Muscicapa turdina Wied-Neuwied, 1831, the brown-winged schiffornis, becomes the type species of the genus by virtual monotypy. The genus name Schiffornis combines the last name of the German physiologist Moritz Schiff with the Ancient Greek ορνις/ornis, ορνιθος/ornithos meaning "bird".
Species The genus contains seven species. Image Scientific name Common name Distribution Schiffornis major Varzea schiffornis Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru; also regions of Venezuela Schiffornis turdina Brown-winged schiffornis Amazonia and eastern Brazil. Schiffornis stenorhyncha Russet-winged schiffornis from Panama to northern Colombia and northern Venezuela. Schiffornis aenea Foothill schiffornis central Ecuador and northern Peru Schiffornis veraepacis Northern schiffornis southeast Mexico to western Colombia and Venezuela. Schiffornis olivacea Guianan schiffornis southeast Venezuela to Guyana and north central Brazil. Schiffornis virescens Greenish schiffornis southern Brazil, also eastern Paraguay, and extreme northeastern Argentina
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