Golden-headed Cisticola
Golden-headed CisticolaGolden-headed CisticolaGolden-headed CisticolaGolden-headed Cisticola

Golden-headed Cisticola

Cisticola exilis

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
at Komodo National Park
3 Verified sightings at Komodo National Park From 2019 to 2026
1,263 Verified sightings across all 24 parks From 2019 to 2026
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Golden-headed Cisticola

The golden-headed cisticola (Cisticola exilis), also known as the bright-capped cisticola, is a species of warbler in the family Cisticolidae, found in Australia and thirteen Asian countries. Growing to 9–11.5 cm (3.5–4.5 in) long, it is usually brown and cream in colour, but has a different appearance during the mating season, with a gold-coloured body and a much shorter tail. It is an omnivore and frequently makes a variety of vocalizations. Known as the "finest tailor of all birds", it constructs nests out of plants and spider threads. It mates in the rainy season. It has a very large range and population, which is thought to be increasing.

The golden-headed cisticola was described by the naturalists Nicholas Vigors and Thomas Horsfield in 1827 and given the binomial name Malurus exilis. The specific epithet exilis is the Latin word for "small", "slender" or "thin". It is now placed in the genus Cisticola, which was erected by the German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup in 1829. This species has been known by several English names in addition to the golden-headed cisticola, including bright-capped cisticola, bright-headed cisticola, bright-crowned cisticola, gold-capped... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Komodo National Park

Zitting Cisticola
LC

Zitting Cisticola

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cisticola juncidis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Large-billed Crow
LC

Large-billed Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus macrorhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely
Black-naped Oriole
LC

Black-naped Oriole

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Oriolus chinensis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Pacific Swallow

Pacific Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo javanica

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Helmeted Friarbird
LC

Helmeted Friarbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Philemon buceroides

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Eastern Red-rumped Swallow
LC

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Cecropis daurica

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Flame-breasted Sunbird
LC

Flame-breasted Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cinnyris solaris

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Black-naped Monarch
LC

Black-naped Monarch

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Hypothymis azurea

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Wallacean Drongo
LC

Wallacean Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus densus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Yellow-bellied White-eye
LC Endemic

Yellow-bellied White-eye

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Zosterops chloris

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Artamus leucorhynchos

Artamus leucorhynchos

Bird

Artamus leucorhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Pied Bushchat
LC

Pied Bushchat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Saxicola caprata

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
2 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
3 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
4 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
5 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
6 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
7 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
8 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
9 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
10 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
11 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
<5%
12 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
13 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
14 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
15 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
16 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
<5%
17 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
18 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
19 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
Insufficient data
20 Komodo National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
21 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
22 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
Insufficient data
23 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
Insufficient data
24 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
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