The Tawny-faced Gnatwren lives in the lower levels of humid forest from Central America to northwestern South America. It forages near the ground and in leaf litter, and may join mixed-species flocks.
About 9–11 cm long, it has a slender bill and short tail. The face is rufous, while the white throat is edged by a black stripe.
It forages in low vegetation and leaf litter in humid forest and secondary woodland, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.