Subspecies
Red-pate Cisticola (Cisticola ruficeps) and Mongalla Cisticola (Cisticola mongalla) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) have been lumped into Cisticola ruficeps following Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993).
Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Red-pate Cisticola (Cisticola ruficeps).