Chestnut-headed Tesia
Cettia castaneocoronata
栗头树莺
Introduction
Formerly classified in the 'Old World warblers', this species is now placed in the bush warbler family based on molecular phylogenetic research. It is an insectivore inhabiting subtropical and tropical forests across South and Southeast Asia. The species occurs in both lowland and montane forest habitats and has a relatively wide distribution across multiple countries.
Description
A minute songbird with a compact structure adapted for movement through dense vegetation. The plumage is characterized by the distinctive chestnut coloration on the head that gives the species its descriptive name. The overall appearance combines the dark olive-green upperparts typical of many forest-dwelling warblers with contrasting paler underparts. The small size and agile movements through undergrowth are characteristic features that experienced observers recognize as belonging to this group of bush warblers.
Distribution & Habitat
This species occurs across a broad geographic range in South and Southeast Asia, with confirmed presence in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. The population occupies two primary habitat types: subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The three recognized subspecies reflect geographic variation across this range, with populations in the Himalayas and northeast India connecting through south China to northern Laos, a separate population in northern Vietnam, and an isolated subspecies in Yunnan province of southern China.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cettiidae
- Genus
- Cettia
- eBird Code
- chhtes1
Vocalizations
Subspecies (3)
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Cettia castaneocoronata abadiei
northern Vietnam (northwestern Tonkin)
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Cettia castaneocoronata castaneocoronata
eastern Himalayas to Bangladesh, northern Myanmar, southern Tibet, and northwestern Thailand
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Cettia castaneocoronata ripleyi
southeastern Tibet to southwestern China (Sichuan and Yunnan)
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.