Birds Guide

Cisticolidae
Bright-headed Cisticola
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves   Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cisticolidae
Genera
Many: see text

The Cisticolidae family of small passerine birds is a group of about 110 warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are often included within the Old World warbler family Sylviidae.

This family probably originated in Africa, which has the majority of species, but there are representatives of the family across tropical Asia into Australasia, and one species, the Zitting Cisticola, even breeds in Europe.

These are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub. They are often difficult to see and many species are similar in appearance, so the song is often the best identification guide.

These are insectivorous birds which nest low in vegetation.

Species list in taxonomic order

• Genus Cisticola, the cisticolas
  • Red-faced Cisticola, Cisticola erythrops
    Singing Cisticola, Cisticola cantans
    Whistling Cisticola, Cisticola lateralis
    Chattering Cisticola, Cisticola anonymus
    Trilling Cisticola, Cisticola woosnami
    Bubbling Cisticola, Cisticola bulliens
    Chubb's Cisticola, Cisticola chubbi
    Hunter's Cisticola, Cisticola hunteri
    Black-lored Cisticola, Cisticola nigriloris
    Rock-loving Cisticola, Cisticola aberrans
    Boran Cisticola, Cisticola bodessa
    Rattling Cisticola, Cisticola chiniana
    Ashy Cisticola, Cisticola cinereolus
    Red-pate Cisticola, Cisticola ruficeps
    Dorst's Cisticola, Cisticola dorsti
    Grey Cisticola, Cisticola rufilatus
    Red-headed Cisticola, Cisticola subruficapillus
    Wailing Cisticola, Cisticola lais
    Tana River Cisticola, Cisticola restrictus
    Churring Cisticola, Cisticola njombe
    Winding Cisticola, Cisticola galactotes
    Chirping Cisticola, Cisticola pipiens
    Carruthers' Cisticola, Cisticola carruthersi
    Tinkling Cisticola, Cisticola tinniens
    Stout Cisticola, Cisticola robustus
    Croaking Cisticola, Cisticola natalensis
    Piping Cisticola, Cisticola fulvicapillus
    Aberdare Cisticola, Cisticola aberdare
    Tabora Cisticola, Cisticola angusticaudus
    Slender-tailed Cisticola, Cisticola melanurus
    Siffling Cisticola, Cisticola brachypterus
    Rufous Cisticola, Cisticola rufus
    Foxy Cisticola, Cisticola troglodytes
    Tiny Cisticola, Cisticola nanus
    Zitting Cisticola, Cisticola juncidis
    Socotra Cisticola, Cisticola haesitatus
    Madagascar Cisticola, Cisticola cherinus
    Desert Cisticola, Cisticola aridulus
    Cloud Cisticola, Cisticola textrix
    Black-necked Cisticola, Cisticola eximius
    Cloud-scraping Cisticola, Cisticola dambo
    Pectoral-patch Cisticola, Cisticola brunnescens
    Pale-crowned Cisticola, Cisticola cinnamomeus
    Wing-snapping Cisticola, Cisticola ayresii
    Golden-headed Cisticola, Cisticola exilis
• Genus Rhopophilus
  • White-browed Chinese Warbler, Rhopophilus pekinensis
• Genus Incana
  • Socotra Warbler, Incana incanus
• Genus Scotocerca
  • Scrub Warbler or Streaked Scrub Warbler, Scotocerca inquieta
• Genus Prinia, the prinias
  • Rufous-vented Prinia, Prinia burnesii
    Swamp Prinia, Prinia cinerascens
    Striated Prinia, Prinia criniger
    Brown Prinia, Prinia polychroa
    Hill Prinia, Prinia atrogularis
    Grey-crowned Prinia, Prinia cinereocapilla
    Rufous-fronted Prinia, Prinia buchanani
    Rufescent Prinia, Prinia rufescens
    Grey-breasted Prinia, Prinia hodgsonii
    Bar-winged Prinia, Prinia familiaris
    Graceful Prinia, Prinia gracilis
    Jungle Prinia, Prinia sylvatica
    Yellow-bellied Prinia, Prinia flaviventris
    Ashy Prinia, Prinia socialis
    Tawny-flanked Prinia, Prinia subflava
    Plain Prinia, Prinia inornata
    Pale Prinia, Prinia somalica
    River Prinia, Prinia fluviatilis
    Black-chested Prinia, Prinia flavicans
    Karoo Prinia, Prinia maculosa
    Drakensberg Prinia, Prinia hypoxantha
    Namaqua Prinia, Prinia substriata
    Sao Tome Prinia, Prinia molleri
    Roberts' Prinia, Prinia robertsi
    Sierra Leone Prinia, Prinia leontica
    White-chinned Prinia, Prinia leucopogon
    Banded Prinia, Prinia bairdii
    Red-winged Prinia, Prinia erythroptera
• Genus Malcorus
  • Rufous-eared Warbler, Malcorus pectoralis
• Genus Drymocichla
  • Red-winged Grey Warbler, Drymocichla incana
• Genus Urolais
  • Green Longtail, Urolais epichlora
• Genus Spiloptila
  • Cricket Longtail, Spiloptila clamans
• Genus Apalis, the apalises
  • Black-collared Apalis, Apalis pulchra
    Ruwenzori Apalis or Collared Apalis, Apalis ruwenzorii
    Bar-throated Apalis, Apalis thoracica
    Taita Apalis, Apalis fuscigularis
    Namuli Apalis, Apalis lynesi
    Yellow-throated Apalis, Apalis flavigularis
    Black-capped Apalis, Apalis nigriceps
    Black-throated Apalis, Apalis jacksoni
    White-winged Apalis, Apalis chariessa
    Masked Apalis, Apalis binotata
    Black-faced Apalis, Apalis personata
    Yellow-breasted Apalis, Apalis flavida
    Rudd's Apalis, Apalis ruddi
    Sharpe's Apalis, Apalis sharpii
    Buff-throated Apalis, Apalis rufogularis
    Bamenda Apalis, Apalis bamendae
    Gosling's Apalis, Apalis goslingi
    Chestnut-throated Apalis, Apalis porphyrolaema
    Kabobo Apalis, Apalis kaboboensis
    Chapin's Apalis, Apalis chapini
    Black-headed Apalis, Apalis melanocephala
    Chirinda Apalis, Apalis chirindensis
    Grey Apalis, Apalis cinerea
    Brown-headed Apalis, Apalis alticola
    Karamoja Apalis, Apalis karamojae
    Kungwe Apalis, Apalis argentea
• Genus Urorhipis
  • Red-fronted Warbler, Urorhipis rufifrons
• Genus Hypergerus
  • Oriole Warbler, Hypergerus atriceps
• Genus Eminia
  • Grey-capped Warbler, Eminia lepida
• Genus Camaroptera
  • Grey-backed Camaroptera, Camaroptera brachyura
    Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Camaroptera superciliaris
    Olive-green Camaroptera, Camaroptera chloronota
• Genus Calamonastes
  • Miombo Camaroptera, Calamonastes undosus
    Grey Wren-Warbler, Calamonastes simplex
    Barred Camaroptera, Calamonastes fasciolatus
• Genus Euryptila
  • Kopje Warbler Euryptila subcinnamomea

External links

• Cisticolidae videos on the Internet Bird Collection