The family Cisticolidae is a group of about 160
warblers, small
passerinebirds found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They were formerly 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, 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.
Taxonomy
The family was introduced (as Cisticolinae) by the Swedish zoologist
Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1872.[1][2]
^Ryan, P.; Dean, R. (2017). del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J.; Christie, D.A.; de Juana, E. (eds.). "Red-winged Prinia (Prinia erythroptera)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
^Ryan, P.; Dean, R. (2017). del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J.; Christie, D.A.; de Juana, E. (eds.). "Red-fronted Prinia (Prinia rufifrons)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
^Olsson, U.; Irestedt, M.; Sangster, G.; Ericson, P.G.P.; Alström, P. (2013). "Systematic revision of the avian family Cisticolidae based on a multi-locus phylogeny of all genera". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 66 (3): 790–9.
doi:
10.1016/j.ympev.2012.11.004.
PMID23159891.
^Nguembock, B.; Fjeldså, 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 [sic] unique nest-building specialization". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 42 (1): 272–286.
doi:
10.1016/j.ympev.2006.07.008.
PMID16949311.
^Nguembock, B.; Fjeldså, J.; Couloux, A.; Cruaud, C.; Pasquet, E. (2008). "Polyphyly of the genus Apalis and a new generic name for the species pulchra and ruwenzorii". Ibis. 150 (4): 756–765.
doi:
10.1111/j.1474-919X.2008.00852.x.
^Johansson, US; Fjeldså, J; Bowie, RC (September 2008). "Phylogenetic relationships within Passerida (Aves: Passeriformes): a review and a new molecular phylogeny based on three nuclear intron markers". Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 48: 858–76.
doi:
10.1016/j.ympev.2008.05.029.
PMID18619860.
Further reading
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.
doi:
10.1016/j.ympev.2005.05.015.
PMID16054402.
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
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
ISBN978-84-96553-06-4