Anairetes is a genus containing the tit-tyrants, a group of small, mainly Andean birds, in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. The group briefly included the genus Uromyias, which had been recognized based on syringeal and plumage characters, including a flatter crest and a longer tail, but was included within Anairetes due to genetic analysis.[1] Recent analyses suggested splitting into Uromyias again.[2] Anairetes is believed to be most closely related to the genera Mecocerculus and Serpophaga; however, there is no definitive evidence supporting this claim.[3]
They are fairly small birds (11–14 cm) that get their common name from the tit family, due to their energetic tit-like dispositions and appearance, primarily in their crests. Species in this genus live in temperate or arid scrub habitats and are mainly found in the Andes mountains.[4] It is one of only a few genera of small flycatchers that occur at such high altitudes.[5]
The genus contains 6 species:[6]