Lessonia is a genus of South American birds in the tyrant flycatcher family, found near freshwater lakes and saline marshes.
The genus was erected by the English naturalist William Swainson in 1832 with the Austral negrito as the type species. The title page bears the year 1831 but the volume did not appear until 1832. The genus name was chosen to honour the French Navy surgeon and naturalist René Lesson (1794–1849).
Species The genus contains two species: Male Female Scientific name Common name Distribution Lessonia oreas Andean negrito central Peru south into western Bolivia, down into north eastern Chile and northern Argentina Lessonia rufaAustral negritoArgentina and Chile, migrating north as far as Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay
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