Rattling Cisticola
Cisticola chiniana
Large, streak-backed, long-tailed cisticola of uplands. Note the pale tips to the tail and the rufous cap. Shows geographical variation in overall richness of color, including the rufous cap. Common in a wide variety of open habitats, especially savanna and scrub. Feisty bird that often mobs predators and sits out to sing on open perches. Song is variable, but typical pattern is a couple of “che” notes followed by a long, rattling trill. As with all cisticolas, habitat and voice are important cues in identification.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Cisticola chiniana
- Authority
- (Smith, A, 1843)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cisticolidae
- Genus
- Cisticola
Range and habitat
Its natural habitat is arid, mesic or moist savannas and woodland, often dominated by thorn trees or thorn shrub (Dichrostachys, etc.). It is, however, also commonly found in miombo and mopane woodland, and is one of the commonest bird species on the Mozambican coastal plain. It is also present in the Eastern Highlands and the East African uplands below 2,000 m. In addition it utilizes some ecotones including edges of cultivation, fringes of dense woodland and woodland fringing the Okavango delta.<p>Tinkling cisticola replaces it in stunted broad-leaved woodland and dry deciduous woodland on sandy substrates, while various Cisticola species replace it in marshy situations. It co-occurs with various Prinia species. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Republic of the Congo, DRC, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Common Paradise-Kingfisher
Tanysiptera galatea
A long-tailed kingfisher of lowland forests. White underparts and rump, dark blue upperparts with pale blue shoulder and crown. Long white tail with 2 extended central tail feathers ending in spatula tips. Sits still for long periods whilst slowly pumping its tail. Very similar to Little Paradise-Kingfisher, but Common Paradise-Kingfisher is larger, with a paler crown, white rather than blue outer tail feathers and a heavier bill. The safest way to separate, however is by vocalization. Heard more often than seen. Song, a rapidly accelerating and slightly rising series of dry notes.
Ashy Tailorbird
Orthotomus ruficeps
Small, active, gray bird with a long bill and a dark-tipped, frequently-cocked-up tail. Orange face diagnostic within its range. Males are gray-throated, whereas females have white throats. Common in mangroves, but also frequently encountered in edge, open forest, and other secondary growth. Generally quite tolerant of human habitation and can be found in parks and on roadsides. Song is crisp and bright: a repeated “twoo-lip, twoo-lip” or “chip-wee, chip-wee”. Calls are variable but frequently sound like isolated fragments of song.
Island Canary
Serinus canaria
Restricted to the Azores, Canary Islands, and Madeira. Slightly bigger than European Serin and yellow-green overall with a pale bill, and a dark forked tail. Has a streaky rump, but this can be hard to see. Males are greenish-yellow below while females are duller and grayer on the breast and neck. The song is very melodic and rich. Found in forests, plantations, gardens, and orchards, sometimes gathering in flocks. Introduced to the Midway Atoll, where coloration ranges from unstreaked bright yellow to almost white.
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