Tinkling Cisticola

Cisticola rufilatus

Medium-sized, streak-backed, long-tailed cisticola of uplands. Note the rufous cap and pale stripe above the eye. Found in miombo, other types of woodland, and savanna. Inconspicuous, and usually seen singly or in pairs. Song is a series of very high-pitched notes. Calls include quick trills and ascending slurs. Similar to Rattling Cisticola, but smaller, longer-tailed, and brighter rufous on the head, with a more prominent stripe above the eye. As with all cisticolas, habitat and voice are important cues in identification.

Identification

The tinkling cisticola or grey cisticola (Cisticola rufilatus) is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitat is dry savannah. Note that the name tinkling cisticola is also used as an alternative name for Levaillant's cisticola (Cisticola tinniens).

Taxonomy

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

Scientific name
Cisticola rufilatus
Authority
(Hartlaub, 1870)
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

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