There has been, and still is, a bit of doubt as to the relationship of the crescentchests to other families. They have been placed with the antbirds as well as the ovenbirds but are now most commonly placed with the tapaculos.

Tapaculo is a name which comes from the Spanish and translates as "cover your arse" possibly something to do with their habit of raising their tail when nervous.

It is very distinctive with a long white supercilium, a broad black line through the eye and a pale yellow throat with a neat black "collar".

Photo 2 shows the sub-species M. t. rufescens, distinguished from the nominate sub-specie shown in the other photos by the rufous tinge to the forehead.