Tit-spinetail explained

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 in the old nests of other birds.

Taxonomy

The genus Leptasthenura was introduced in 1853 by the German naturalist Ludwig Reichenbach.^[1] The name combines the Ancient Greek leptos meaning "thin", asthenēs meaning "weak" and oura meaning "tail".^[2] The type species was designated as the plain-mantled tit-spinetail by George Robert Gray in 1855.^{[3] [4]}

Species

The genus contains nine species:^[5]

• Andean tit-spinetail, Leptasthenura andicola
• Streak-backed tit-spinetail, Leptasthenura striata
• Rusty-crowned tit-spinetail, Leptasthenura pileata
• White-browed tit-spinetail, Leptasthenura xenothorax
• Striolated tit-spinetail, Leptasthenura striolata
• Plain-mantled tit-spinetail, Leptasthenura aegithaloides
• Tufted tit-spinetail, Leptasthenura platensis
• Brown-capped tit-spinetail, Leptasthenura fuliginiceps
• Araucaria tit-spinetail, Leptasthenura setaria

The tawny tit-spinetail is placed together with Des Murs's wiretail in the genus Sylviorthorhynchus.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Book: Reichenbach, Ludwig . Ludwig Reichenbach . 1853 . Icones ad synopsin avium No. 10 Scansoriae A . Handbuch der speciellen Ornithologie . German . Dresden und Leipzig . Expedition Vollständigsten Naturgeschichte . 145–218 [145, 160] . https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47722861 .
2. Book: Jobling, James A. . 2010. The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm . London . 978-1-4081-2501-4 . 222 .
3. Book: Gray, George Robert . George Robert Gray . 1855 . Catalogue of the Genera and Subgenera of Birds Contained in the British Museum . London . British Museum . 27 .
4. Book: Peters . James Lee . James L. Peters . 1951 . Check-List of Birds of the World . 7 . Museum of Comparative Zoology . Cambridge, Massachusetts . 74 .
5. Web site: Gill . Frank . Frank Gill (ornithologist) . Donsker . David . Rasmussen . Pamela . Pamela Rasmussen . January 2021 . Ovenbirds, woodcreepers . IOC World Bird List Version 11.1 . International Ornithologists' Union . 29 June 2021 .