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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