Cisticola exilis
In breeding season, the male Golden-headed Cisticola has a golden-orange head, which is crested when calling, with a paler chin and throat, and a boldly streaked black to dark grey and golden body. The tail is black, with paler tips, and is shorter during breeding season. Females resemble non-breeding males, with buff-brown upper parts, heavily streaked black and dark brown, with a golden-buff rump and nape of neck. The underparts are cream with buff tints, the wings are black, with each feather edged buff. Young birds resemble the female but are duller. The related Zitting Cisticola, C. juncidis, resembles the Golden-headed Cisticola in size and shape, but lacks the rich golden colouring on the head and rump, tending to be paler underneath, and more heavily streaked on top.
Not Threatened
In breeding season, the male Golden-headed Cisticola has a golden-orange head, which is crested when calling, with a paler chin and throat, and a boldly streaked black to dark grey and golden body. The tail is black, with paler tips, and is shorter during breeding season. Females resemble non-breeding males, with buff-brown upper parts, heavily streaked black and dark brown, with a golden-buff rump and nape of neck. The underparts are cream with buff tints, the wings are black, with each feather edged buff. Young birds resemble the female but are duller. The related Zitting Cisticola, C. juncidis, resembles the Golden-headed Cisticola in size and shape, but lacks the rich golden colouring on the head and rump, tending to be paler underneath, and more heavily streaked on top.
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. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * erythrocephalus erythrocephalus Blyth, 1851 - S India (S Mysore, W Tamil Nadu and Kerala). * tytleri tytleri Jerdon, 1863 - N India and S Nepal E to N & W Myanmar and S China (SE Xizang, W Yunnan). * equicaudatus 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 (volitans Swinhoe, 1859) - Taiwan. * semirufus Cabanis, 1872 - Philippines (except Palawan) and Sulu Archipelago. * lineocapilla lineocapilla Gould, 1847 - Sumatra, SW Borneo, Java, Lesser Sundas and NW Australia. * rusticus rusticus Wallace, 1863 - Sulawesi, Peleng, Buru and Seram. * diminutus diminutus Mathews, 1922 - New Guinea lowlands, islands in Torres Strait and NE Australia (N Queensland). * polionotus polionotus Mayr, 1934 - Bismarck Archipelago (New Britain, New Ireland and adjacent islands). * alexandrae alexandrae Mathews, 1912 - N Australia (N Western Australia, interior of Northern Territory E to C Queensland. * exilis (exilis Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) - SE Australia (SE Queensland, New South Wales, SE South Australia, SE Victoria, and King I).
Lives in sub-coastal areas, wetlands, swamp margins, wet grasslands, rivers, and irrigated farmland. It prefers tangled vegetation close to the ground, but breeding males may be seen singing from tall weeds or other shrubs.
Feed quietly and inconspicuously on insects taken from the ground amongst tall grasses. They also feed on the seeds from the grasses among which they live.
Builds a rounded nest with a side entrance near the top, from fine grasses, plant down and spiders' web. Leaves are usually stitched to the outer surface and the nest is lined with soft plant down. Both the male and female help in nest-building although the female incubates the eggs on her own. September-March