The brown-headed apalis (Apalis alticola) is a small passerine bird belonging to the genus Apalis in the family Cisticolidae. It is sometimes included within the grey apalis (A. cinerea) but is now commonly considered to be a separate species. It has two subspecies: A. a. alticola and A. a. dowsetti The grey apalis is similar but has a grey-brown head and dark eye. The outer tail-feathers are white like those of A. a. dowsetti but it does not overlap in range with that subspecies. The song of the brown-headed apalis is a series of loud, high-pitched "chip" notes.