Cisticolas and Allies (Cisticolidae)

Golden-headed Cisticola (Cisticola exilis) - HBW 11, p. 465

French: Cisticole à couronne dorée German: Goldkopf-Zistensänger Spanish: Cistícola Cabecidorado
Other common names: Bright-capped/Bright-headed/Bright-crowned Cisticola, Golden/Gold-capped Cisticola, Yellow-headed Cisticola, Exile Warbler

Taxonomy: Malurus exilis Vigors and Horsfield, 1827, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Affinities uncertain; closely resembles C. eximius, but seasonal change in tail length much greater. Twelve subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • erythrocephalus Blyth, 1851 - S India (S Mysore, W Tamil Nadu and Kerala).
  • tytleri Jerdon, 1863 - N India and S Nepal E to N & W Myanmar and S China (SE Xizang, W Yunnan).
  • equicaudatus Stuart Baker, 1924 - E Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and S Vietnam.

     See all 12 subspecies
  • erythrocephalus Blyth, 1851 - S India (S Mysore, W Tamil Nadu and Kerala).
  • tytleri Jerdon, 1863 - N India and S Nepal E to N & W Myanmar and S China (SE Xizang, W Yunnan).
  • equicaudatus Stuart Baker, 1924 - E Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and S Vietnam.
  • courtoisi La Touche, 1926 - S & E China (SE Yunnan E to S Anhui and NW Fujian, S to Guanxi and Guangdong).
  • volitans (Swinhoe, 1859) - Taiwan.
  • semirufus Cabanis, 1872 - Philippines (except Palawan) and Sulu Archipelago.
  • lineocapilla Gould, 1847 - Sumatra, SW Borneo, Java, Lesser Sundas and NW Australia.
  • rusticus Wallace, 1863 - Sulawesi, Peleng, Buru and Seram.
  • diminutus Mathews, 1922 - New Guinea lowlands, islands in Torres Strait and NE Australia (N Queensland).
  • polionotus Mayr, 1934 - Bismarck Archipelago (New Britain, New Ireland and adjacent islands).
  • alexandrae Mathews, 1912 - N Australia (N Western Australia, interior of Northern Territory E to C Queensland.
  • exilis (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) - SE Australia (SE Queensland, New South Wales, SE South Australia, SE Victoria, and King I).