Scotocercidae
Họ Chích

General

The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections welcome. Malaysian names are now being updated. For consistency, Vietnamese bird names (except for ducks and chickens) are preceded by the word Chim meaning 'bird'. Ornithological lists mostly omit this as understood. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

The Scotocercidae are a result of the break-up of the Sylviidae assemblage. (Others include the Locustellidae, Acrocephalidae, and Phylloscipidae.) The Scotocercidae also include the Leafworker or Mountain Tailorbird, formerly belonging to Orthotomus. The rest of the genus now belong to the Cisticolidae.

Like most of the old Sylviidae, the Scotocercidae go by the ornithological name of Chích, an onomatopoeic word used as an equivalent of English 'warbler'.

While many genera in the Scotocercidae are not clearly differentiated from other warblers, using only the name Chích plus species descriptor, there are a few genera which are differentiated.

1. Warblers in Abroscopus and Tickellia are, like the genus Seicercus (now in the Phylloscopidae), known as Chích đớp ruồi 'fly-catcher warbler' in our main authority (12), following an older English-language usage. Some more recent lists drop the đớp ruồi 'fly-catcher' from Abroscopus / Tickellia, in line with current English-language practice.

2. The tesias (Tesia) and former tesia Cettia castaneocoronata are identified as Chích đuôi cụt 'short-tailed warbler'.

3. The Leafworker or Mountain Tailorbird, from the genus Orthotomus, is known by the Vietnamese name for the tailorbirds, Chích bông 'plant-floss warbler'. The term bông is used for cotton, cotton-wool, cotton-like material, fluff, flowers, blossoms, the ears (of grain plants), etc. Here it probably refers to the floss that tailorbirds use to pad their nests. The use of Chích in this name reflects the traditional treatment of the tailorbirds as warblers.

Note that in some cases, the same Vietnamese name is used for more than one species (see tables).

Family name

There is no single name that could distinguish the Scotocercidae from other old sylviid families. In view of this, the old name of the Sylviidae, Họ Chích, has tentatively been given here to the Scotocercidae.

Species names

CETTIINAE
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN		VIETNAMESE		EAST ASIAN		S. E. ASIAN
Tesia
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Tesia olivea	Slaty-bellied tesia Slaty-bellied ground warbler Bright slaty-bellied ground warbler Tésie à ventre ardoise	Chim Chích đuôi cụt 'short-tailed warbler (bird)' (12, 34)		金冠地莺 (金冠地鶯) jīn-guān dì-yīng 'gold-crested ground-warbler'	クロハラコビトサザイ (黒腹小人鷦鷯) kuro-hara kobito sazai 'black-bellied dwarf wren'	นกจุนจู๋ท้องเทาดำ nók cun-cŭu tʰóaaŋ-tʰaw-dam 'black-grey-bellied tesia (bird)'
Tesia cyaniventer	Grey-bellied tesia Grey-bellied ground warbler Dull slaty-bellied ground warbler Tésie à sourcils jaunes	Chim Chích đuôi cụt bụng xanh 'blue/green-bellied short-tailed warbler (bird)' (12, 34)		灰腹地莺 (灰腹地鶯) huī-fù dì-yīng 'grey-bellied ground-warbler'	キマユコビトサザイ (黄眉小人鷦鷯) ki-mayu kobito sazai 'yellow-eyebrowed dwarf wren'	นกจุนจู๋ท้องเทา nók cun-cŭu tʰóaaŋ-tʰaw 'grey-bellied tesia (bird)'
Cettia
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Cettia castaneocoronata Oligura castaneocoronata Tesia castaneocoronata	Chestnut-headed tesia Chestnut-headed ground warbler Tésie à tête marron	Tesia castaneocoronata: Chim Chích đuôi cụt bụng vàng 'yellow-bellied short-tailed warbler (bird)' (12, 34)		栗头地莺 (栗頭地鶯) lì-tóu dì-yīng 'chestnut-headed ground-warbler'	クリガシラコビトサザイ (栗頭小人鷦鷯) kuri-gashira kobito sazai 'chestnut-headed dwarf wren'	นกจุนจู๋หัวสีตาล nók cun-cŭu hŭa-sĭi-taan 'brown-headed tesia (bird)'
Hemitesia
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Hemitesia pallidipes Cettia pallidipes	Pale-footed Bush Warbler Pale-footed Bush-warbler Pale-footed stubtail Bouscarle à pattes claires	Chim Chích Vân Nam 'Yunnan warbler (bird)' (12, 13, 34)		淡脚树莺 (淡腳樹鶯) dàn-jiǎo shù-yīng 'pale-footed tree-warbler'	キアシヤブサメ (黄足薮鮫) ki-ashi yabu-same 'yellow-legged yabusame'	นกกระจ้อยสีไพล nók krà-côaay sĭi-pʰlay 'olivaceous warbler (bird)'
Urosphena
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Urosphena squameiceps Cettia squameiceps	Asian stubtail Scaly-headed stubtail Scaly-headed bush warbler Short-tailed bush warbler Bouscarle de Swinhoe	Chim Chích Á Châu 'Asian warbler (bird)' (12, 13)	Chim Chích châu Á 'Asian warbler (bird)' (34) Chích đuôi cụt châu Á Asian short-tailed warbler (bird)' (Wikipedia)	鳞头树莺 (鱗頭樹鶯) lín-tóu shù-yīng 'scale-headed tree-warbler' Taiwan: (短尾莺) 短尾鶯 duǎn-wěi yīng 'short-tailed warbler'	ヤブサメ (薮雨 ~ 薮鮫) yabu-same 'yabusame'	นกกระจ้อยหัวลาย nók krà-côaay hŭa-laay 'stripe-headed warbler (bird)'	Burung Cekup Ekor Pendek 'short-tailed warbler (bird)' (27)
Abroscopus
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Abroscopus albogularis Seicercus albogularis	Rufous-faced warbler White-throated flycatcher warbler Fulvous-faced flycatcher warbler Pouillot à gorge blanche	Chim Chích đớp ruồi mặt hung 'reddish-faced fly-catcher warbler (bird)' (12)	Chim Chích họng trắng 'white-throated warbler (bird)' (34) Chim Chích mặt hung 'reddish-faced warbler (bird)' (13)	棕脸鹟莺 (棕臉鶲鶯) zōng-liǎn wēng-yīng 'reddishbrown-faced flycatcher-warbler' Taiwan: (棕面莺) 棕面鶯 zōng-miàn yīng 'reddishbrown-faced warbler'	アカガオマユムシクイ (赤顔眉虫喰) aka-gao mayu mushi-kui 'red-faced eyebrowed insect-eater'	นกกระจ้อยคอดำ nók krà-côaay kʰoaa-dam 'black-necked very-small bird'
Abroscopus schisticeps Seicercus schisticeps	Black-faced warbler Black-faced flycatcher warbler Pouillot à face noire	Chim Chích đớp ruồi mặt đen 'black-faced fly-catcher warbler (bird)' (12)	Chim Chích mặt đen 'black-faced warbler (bird)' (34)	黑脸鹟莺 (黑臉鶲鶯) hēi-liǎn wēng-yīng 'black-faced flycatcher-warbler'	カオグロマユムシクイ (顔黒眉虫喰) kao-guro mayu mushi-kui 'black-faced eyebrowed insect-eater'
Abroscopus superciliaris Seicercus superciliaris	Yellow-bellied warbler Yellow-bellied flycatcher warbler Pouillot à sourcils blancs	Chim Chích đớp ruồi mỏ vàng 'yellow-billed fly-catcher warbler (bird)' (12)	Chim Chích mày trắng 'white-eyebrowed warbler (bird)' (34)	黄腹鹟莺 (黃腹鶲鶯) huáng-fù wēng-yīng 'yellow-bellied flycatcher-warbler'	マミジロムシクイ (眉白虫喰) mami-jiro mushi-kui 'white-eyebrowed insect-eater'	นกกระจ้อยคอขาว nók krà-côaay kʰoaa-kʰăaw 'white-necked very-small bird'	Burung Cekup Kening Putih 'white-eyebrowed warbler (bird)' (26) Burung Cekup Leher Putih 'white-necked warbler (bird)' (27) Burung Cekup Paruh Kuning 'yellow-billed warbler (bird)' (24)	Burung Cikrak Bambu 'bamboo leafwarbler (bird)' (onomat.)
Phyllergates
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Phyllergates cucullatus Orthotomus cucullatus	Leafworker or Mountain Tailorbird Mountain tailor bird Golden-headed tailor bird Couturière montagnarde	Chim Chích bông đầu vàng 'yellow-headed plant-floss warbler (bird)' (12)	Chim Chích bông núi 'mountain plant-floss warbler (bird)' (34) Chim Chích bông bụng vàng 'yellow-bellied plant-floss warbler (bird)' (13)	栗头缝叶莺 (栗頭縫葉鶯) lì-tóu féng-yè-yīng 'chestnut-headed sew-leaf warbler' (2, 4, 36) 金头缝叶莺 (金頭縫葉鶯) jīn-tóu féng-yè-yīng 'gold-headed sew-leaf warbler' (1, 3, 5)	キバラサイホウチョウ (黄腹裁縫鳥) ki-bara saihō-chō 'yellow-bellied sewing-bird'	นกกระจิบภูเขา nók krà-cìp pʰuu-kʰăw 'mountain tailorbird (bird)'	Burung Perenjak Gunung 'mountain prinia (bird)' (24, 26, 27) (Conflicts with Indonesian name for Hill Prinia Prinia atrogularis)	Burung Cinenen Gunung 'mountain tailorbird (bird)'
Tickellia
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Tickellia hodgsoni Abroscopus hodgsoni	Broad-billed warbler Broad-billed flycatcher warbler Pouillot de Hodgson	Chim Chích đớp ruồi mỏ rộng 'broad-billed fly-catcher warbler (bird)' (12, 34)		宽嘴鹟莺 (寬嘴鶲鶯) kuān-zuǐ wēng-yīng 'broad-billed flycatcher-warbler' (1, 2, 3, 4, 36)	ズアカマユムシクイ (頭赤眉虫喰) zu-aka mayu mushi-kui 'red-headed eyebrowed insect-eater'
Horornis
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Horornis canturians Cettia canturians	Manchurian bush warbler Bouscarle mandchoue	Cettia diphone (canturians) (12), Cettia canturians (34): Chim Chích bụi rậm 'thicket warbler (bird)' (12, 34)	Chim Chích ngực hung 'reddish-breasted warbler (bird)' (13)	Cettia diphone canturians: 远东树莺 (遠東樹鶯) yuǎn-dōng shù-yīng 'far-eastern tree-warbler' Taiwan: (远东树莺) 遠東樹鶯 yuǎn-dōng shù-yīng 'far-eastern tree-warbler'	Cettia canturians: マンシュウウグイス (満州鴬) manshū uguisu 'Manchurian warbler' or カラウグイス (唐鴬) kara uguisu 'Chinese warbler'	Cettia canturians: นกกระจ้อยนักร้อง nók krà-côaay nák-róaaŋ 'singer warbler (bird)'
Horornis fortipes Cettia fortipes	Brown-flanked Bush Warbler Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler Brownish-flanked bush-warbler Strong-footed bush warbler Mountain bush warbler Bouscarle de montagne	Chim Chích chân khỏe 'strong-footed warbler (bird)' (12, 34)	Chim Chích sườn nâu 'brown-flanked warbler (bird)' (13)	强脚树莺 (強腳樹鶯) qiáng-jiǎo shù-yīng 'strong-footed tree-warbler' Taiwan: (小莺) 小鶯 xiǎo yīng 'small warbler'	タイワンウグイス (台湾鴬) taiwan uguisu 'Taiwan warbler'
Horornis flavolivaceus Cettia flavolivacea Cettia flavolivaceus	Aberrant bush warbler Aberrant bush-warbler Bouscarle jaune et vert	Chim Chích mày vàng 'yellow-eyebrowed warbler (bird)' (12, 34) (Conflicts with Seicercus coronatus)		异色树莺 (異色樹鶯) yì-sè shù-yīng 'different- coloured tree-warbler'	キバラウグイス (黄腹鴬) ki-bara uguisu 'yellow-bellied warbler'

セッカ sekka is used in Japanese for several small warbling birds in the Cisticolidae, Locustellidae, and Phylloscopidae. The etymology is unknown. It is written with the ateji 雪加 (literally 'snow-add') or 雪下 (literally 'snow-below'), characters assigned on the basis of sound only with little or no relation to etymology or meaning.

The characters used to write ヤブサメ yabu-same, 藪雨 or 藪鮫, mean 'thicket rain' or 'thicket shark' respectively. The second character in each appears to be used purely for its sound. The character 雨 is normally read ame ('rain'), but may be read -same in combination. The etymology of the name is unknown, although one conjecture is that it means 'be noisy in the thicket', using the verb さめく sameku 'to be noisy'.

中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全（修订版） 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000

中国鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2005年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2005

中国鸟类野外手册（中文版）约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯，合作者：荷芬奇，翻译：卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000

世界鸟类分类与分布名录 主编：郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2002年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of the World Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2002

世界鸟类名称（拉丁文、汉文、英文对照）第二版 郑作新等 科学出版社 北京 2002年
Birds of the World (Latin, Chinese and English Names) 2nd ed. by Cheng Tso-Hsin et al, Science Press, Beijing 2002

Danh Lục Chim Việt Nam (In lần thứ hai) (Checklist of the Birds of Vietnam) Võ Quý, Nguyễn Cử, Nhà Xuất Bản Nông Nghiệp, Hà Nội 1999

Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000

Senarai Nama-nama Burung Semenanjung Malaysia dan Asia Tenggara by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Perhilitan (Jabatam Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara, Semenanjung Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur 1981 ( by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 1981

A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore by Jeyarajasingam, Allen and Alan Pearson, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1999

The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 2 - Passerines by Wells, David R., Christopher Helm, A&C Black, London 2007

Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009

中国观鸟年报-中国鸟类名录 1.1 (The CBR Checklist of Birds of China v1.1)中国观鸟年报 (China Bird Review), 2010