Subspecies

Twelve subspecies are recognized: ^[2]

• Rotuman lesser shrikebill (C. v. wiglesworthi) - Mayr, 1933: Found on Rotuma Island (northern Fiji)
• C. v. brunneus - (Ramsay, EP, 1875): Found on Kadavu, Ono and Vanua Kula (south-western Fiji)
• C. v. buensis – (Layard, EL, 1876): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Myiolestes . Found on Vanua Levu and Kioa (northern Fiji)
• C. v. vitiensis – (Hartlaub, 1866): Found in western Fiji
• C. v. layardi – Mayr, 1933: Found on Taveuni (central Fiji)
• C. v. pontifex – Mayr, 1933: Found on Qamea and Rabi (northern Fiji)
• Vanuatu lesser shrikebill (C. v. vatuanus) – Mayr, 1933: Found on northern Lau Islands (eastern Fiji)
• C. v. nesiotes – (Wetmore, 1919): Originally described as a separate species. Found on southern Lau Islands (eastern Fiji)
• Futuna lesser shrikebill (C. v. fortunae) – (Layard, EL, 1876): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Myiolestes . Found on Futuna and Alofi (north-east of Fiji)
• C. v. heinei – (Finsch & Hartlaub, 1870): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Myiolestes . Found on central Tonga Islands
• C. v. keppeli – Mayr, 1933: Found on Niuatoputapu and Tafahi (northern Tonga)
• Manu'a shrikebill (C. v. powelli) – (Salvin, 1879): Originally described as a separate species. Found on Samoa but may have gone extinct in the 1990s due to habitat destruction