Cisticolidae

Cisticolidae
Bright-headed cisticola
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Suborder:	Passeri
Family:	Cisticolidae Sundevall, 1872
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

Based on Del Hoyo et al. (2006)

• Genus Neomixis - jeries (Genus basal to all other Cisticolidae)
  • Common jery, Neomixis tenella
  • Green jery, Neomixis viridis
  • Stripe-throated jery, Neomixis striatigula
• Genus Orthotomus, the tailorbirds (around 13 species)
• Genus Prinia, the prinias (around 23 species)
• Genus Heliolais
  • Red-winged warbler, Heliolais erythropterus
• Genus Cisticola, the cisticolas (around 45 species)
• Genus Incana
  • Socotra warbler, Incana incanus

Rufous-eared warbler, Malcorus pectoralis

• Genus Malcorus
  • Rufous-eared warbler, Malcorus pectoralis
• Genus Bathmocercus - rufous warblers
  • Black-headed rufous warbler Bathmocercus cerviniventris
  • Black-faced rufous warbler Bathmocercus rufus
• Genus Scepomycter - sometimes merged into Bathmocercus
  • Winifred's warbler Scepomycter winifredae
  • Rubeho warbler Scepomycter rubehoensis
• Genus Hypergerus
  • Oriole warbler, Hypergerus atriceps
• Genus Eminia
  • Grey-capped warbler, Eminia lepida
• Genus Apalis, the apalises. (Around 26 species; Genus paraphyletic)
• Genus Poliolais
  • White-tailed warbler Poliolais lopezi
• Genus Camaroptera (3-4 species)
• Genus Calamonastes
  • Miombo wren-warbler, Calamonastes undosus
  • Grey wren-warbler, Calamonastes simplex
  • Barred wren-warbler, Calamonastes fasciolatus
• Genus Euryptila
  • Cinnamon-breasted warbler Euryptila subcinnamomea
• Genus Artisornis
  • Long-billed forest warbler, Artisornis moreaui
  • Red-capped forest warbler, Artisornis metopias
• Genus Schistolais
  • White-chinned prinia, Schistolais leucopogon
  • Sierra Leone prinia, Schistolais leontica
• Genus Urolais
  • Green longtail, Urolais epichlora
• Genus Phragmacia
  • Namaqua warbler, Phragmacia substriata
• Genus Oreophilais
  • Roberts's warbler, Oreophilais robertsi
• Genus Drymocichla
  • Red-winged grey warbler, Drymocichla incana
• Genus Spiloptila
  • Cricket warbler, Spiloptila clamans
• Genus Urorhipis
  • Red-fronted warbler, Urorhipis rufifrons
• Genus Phyllolais
  • Buff-bellied warbler, Phyllolais pulchella
• Genus Rhopophilus
  • Chinese hill warbler, Rhopophilus pekinensis
• Genus Eremomela ^[1] (about 10 species)

References

1. Johansson et al.: Phylogenetic relationships within Passerida (Aves: Passeriformes): A review and a new molecular phylogeny based on three nuclear intron markers In: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. Volume 48, Issue 3, September 2008, Pages 858-876 doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2008.05.029 PMID 18619860

• 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.
• Cibois, A., Slikas, B., Schulenberg, T. S., & Pasquet, E. (2001). An endemic radiation of Malagasy songbirds is revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Evolution 55 (6): 1198-1206. DOI:10.1554/0014-3820(2001)055[1198:AEROMS]2.0.CO;2 PDF fulltext
• Ryan, Peter (2006). Family Cisticolidae (Cisticolas and allies). Pp. 378–492 in del Hoyo J., Elliott A. & Christie D.A. (2006) Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 11. Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers Lynx Edicions, Barcelona ISBN 978-84-96553-06-4
• 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 a unique nest-building specialization. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42: 272-286.
• Urban, E.K.; Fry, C.H. & Keith, S. (1997) The Birds of Africa, vol. 5. Academic Press, London. ISBN 0-12-137305-3

External links

• Cisticolidae videos on the Internet Bird Collection