Thripophaga

"Softtail" redirects here. For the motorcycle and bicycle design, see Softail.

Thripophaga is a genus of birds that popularly are known as softtails. They are members of the ovenbird family, Furnariidae. They are found in wooded and shrubby habitats, sometimes near water, in South America.

Thripophaga
Thripophaga macroura
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Furnariidae
Genus:	Thripophaga Cabanis, 1847
Type species
Anabates macrourus[1] zu Wied-Neuwied, 1821
Species
See text

Taxonomy and systematics

Softtails are closely related to Cranioleuca spinetails and the generic limits between these two genera were not clear in the past.^[2] For example, the Russet-mantled Softtail, despite its English name, is a true Cranioleuca spinetail, and the speckled spinetail turned out to be part of Thripophaga.^[2] Previous speculations suggesting a close relationship between Thripophaga and Phacellodomus were disproved.

Extant species

The genus contains five species:

• Speckled spinetail (Thripophaga gutturata)
• Orinoco softtail (Thripophaga cherriei)
• Delta Amacuro softtail (Thripophaga amacurensis)
• Striated softtail (Thripophaga macroura)
• Plain softtail (Thripophaga fusciceps)