Golden-Headed Cisticola
Cisticola exilis
About This Species
A small, secretive warbler of tall grassland, reed beds, and rank vegetation across Australia and South and Southeast Asia, more often detected by its buzzing, insect-like call than seen. Males in breeding plumage show a bright golden-orange head and perform a low, fluttering display flight over grass tussocks, which is the best opportunity to see the species clearly. The breeding season, when males are displaying and calling, offers the most reliable views; at other times it stays low in dense cover.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- A patient, still approach to the edge of suitable grassland, keeping a respectful distance of 10 metres or more, works better than pushing into dense vegetation where the bird will simply drop out of sight.
- Protections for wild birds vary by country across its Australasian and Asian range, and disturbing breeding birds or nests is restricted under wildlife law in most jurisdictions, so treat nesting grassland with particular care.
- Avoid trampling through tall grass during the breeding season, since nests are low and easily destroyed even accidentally.
LCAvesPasseriformesCisticolidae
Seasonal Activity
267,231 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cisticolidae
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.