Hunter's Cisticola

Cisticola hunteri

A large, plain cisticola with a reddish cap and two bands across the tail tip, one pale and one dark. Found in open montane habitats with thick herbaceous undergrowth, including forest edge, grassland, and heath, almost always in pairs or small groups. As with other cisticolas, habitat and vocalizations are important to identification. Very similar to Chubb’s Cisticola, but in the small area of overlap, Hunter’s occurs at higher elevations, and is distinguished by the softly streaked back and different vocalizations. Fairly similar to Singing Cisticola, but lacks a rufous panel in the wings. The distinctive song is given in chorus: a frantic series of spitting notes that runs up and down the scale, accompanied by simpler “cher-wee” calls. 

Identification

Hunter's cisticola (Cisticola hunteri) is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are tropical moist montane and high-elevation shrubland. It is a dueting species.

Taxonomy

Genus: Cisticola; Family: Cisticolidae; Order: Passeriformes.

Scientific name
Cisticola hunteri
Authority
Shelley, 1889
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Cisticolidae
Genus
Cisticola

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Behavior

Migration pattern: Resident species.

Conservation

Population trend: stable.

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Rufous-breasted Flycatcher

Rufous-breasted Flycatcher

Leptopogon rufipectus

Fairly distinctive small flycatcher found in the Andes from western Venezuela to northwest Peru. Rather lanky and long-tailed with obvious rufous wash on face and breast and two rufous wingbars. Otherwise olive above with pale yellow belly. Uncommon in the lower levels of cloud forest, from around 1,500-2,400m, where singles or pairs are usually found following mixed-species flocks. Listen for loud squeaky call.

Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin

Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin

Neopelma chrysocephalum

A small, inconspicuous bird, much more often heard than seen. Most easily recognized by its striking pale orange eyes; also note gray face and longish bill with pale mandible. Yellow crown patch, though large, is difficult to see in the field. One of the characteristic bird species of white sand forests, occurring in both scrubby and taller forest types. Feeds on fruit and may be seen at fruiting trees and shrubs, though it tends not to be as numerous as other manakins. Best detected by its incessant call: a nasal barking, rather similar to call of Dusky-chested Flycatcher. Display song of male is a bizarre series of twangs, unlike any other bird species in range. Distinguished from Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin by paler, oranger eye and by yellower belly.

Bronze-winged Parrot

Bronze-winged Parrot

Pionus chalcopterus

A medium-sized parrot that usually looks all dark. With a good view, note the deep bluish-purple color overall with bronzy wings, messy pink splotches on the upper breast, and red undertail coverts. In flight, the bright blue underwings often stand out. Also look for the very deep wingbeats that seem to almost touch on the downstroke and barely come above horizontal on the upstroke – this helps separate members of the Pionus genus from the larger Amazona parrots. Bronze-winged is fairly common in forest and adjacent clearings in lowlands and foothills, up to around 2,500m. It is usually found in small flocks, most often seen in flight but also perched in the canopy or around fruiting trees.

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