Cisticolidae

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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.

[edit] 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 ¹(see notes)
- 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. (Genus paraphyletic)
- 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

NOTES:

Bathmocercus and Sceptomycter (see Old World Warbler). Recent molecular work (Nguembock et al) places these genera in Cisticolidae close to Eminia and Hypergerus.

Neomixis (See Babbler). Nguembock et al has the Jerys as a basal clade in the Cisticolidae.

¹ Rhopophilus recently found to belong to a Sylvioid clade containing Sylvia and Paradoxornis.

[edit] References

Alström, P.; Ericson, P.G.P.; Olsson, U.; Sundberg, P. (2006): Phylogeny and classification of the avian superfamily Sylvioidea. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 38: 381-397.
Nguembock B.; Fjeldsa J.; Tillier A.; Pasquet E. (2007): A phylogeny for the Cisticolidae (Aves: Passeriformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, and a re-interpretation of an unique nest-building specialization. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42: 272-286.