Synallaxis is a genus of birds in the ovenbird family, Furnariidae. It is one of the most diverse genera in the family and is composed of small birds that inhabit dense undergrowth across tropical and subtropical habitats in the Neotropical region. Some species show contrasting plumage patterns involving rufous crown and wing patches and black throat patches but they are difficult to see as they keep ensconced in vegetation most of the time. Most species show the long graduated tail with pointy feathers that is typical of spinetails. They are also characterized by constructing large domed nests with stick, including a long entrance tube. Some species can be difficult to distinguish from one another on the basis of their plumage, but can be tell apart by their vocalizations, which can be quite distinctive.[1]
The genus Synallaxis was introduced in 1818 by the French ornithologist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot.[2] The name is from the Ancient Greek sunallaxis meaning "exchange".[3] Vieillot did not specify a type species but in 1840 George Gray designated the rufous-capped spinetail.[4][5]
The genus contains 36 species:[6]
Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species as species within the genus Synallaxis:
Synallaxis is a genus of birds in the ovenbird family, Furnariidae. It is one of the most diverse genera in the family and is composed of small birds that inhabit dense undergrowth across tropical and subtropical habitats in the Neotropical region. Some species show contrasting plumage patterns involving rufous crown and wing patches and black throat patches but they are difficult to see as they keep ensconced in vegetation most of the time. Most species show the long graduated tail with pointy feathers that is typical of spinetails. They are also characterized by constructing large domed nests with stick, including a long entrance tube. Some species can be difficult to distinguish from one another on the basis of their plumage, but can be tell apart by their vocalizations, which can be quite distinctive.
