They are ground-dwelling birds which inhabit open country in South America, particularly the Andes and Patagonia.

The nest is a cup of twigs or grass which, in most species, is built in a burrow, crevice or under rocks.

Ground tyrants are fairly small (13–20 cm in length) with longish legs, a slender bill and an erect posture.

The head is variably patterned with several species having rufous patches on the crown or white between the bill and eye.

All the remaining species are related and form a monophyletic group, although the spot-billed ground tyrant (M. maculirostris) is somewhat divergent from the others.