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GrasslandDomed nestTiny · 7 g
What the Zitting Cisticola sounds like
ID tip
The zitting cisticola is 10 to 12 cm (3.9 to 4.7 in) in length. It is brown above, heavily streaked with black markings. The underparts are whitish, and the tail is broad, white-tipped and flicked frequently, giving rise to the alternative name for the species. The adult males have less crown streaking and more back marking than the females, but there are no great differences between the sexes or the 17 geographical subspecies. The absence of a nuchal collar separates it from the golden-headed cisticola (Cisticola exilis).
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Zitting Cisticola
One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is April, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Zitting Cisticola
The map shades 91 countries with regular records, and 7 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in Sweden, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Chad, Somalia, Equatorial Guinea, San Marino.
About the Zitting Cisticola
The zitting cisticola, formerly also fan-tailed warbler or streaked fantail warbler, is a widely distributed Old World warbler in the family Cisticolidae, whose breeding range includes western and southern Europe, Africa outside the deserts and rainforest, and southern Asia down to northern Australia. A small bird found mainly in grasslands, it is best identified by its rufous rump; in addition it lacks any gold on the collar and the brownish tail is tipped with white. During the breeding season males have a zigzagging flight display accompanied by regular "zit" calls that give it its English name. They build their pouch nest suspended within a clump of grass.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Golden-headed CisticolaCisticola exilisThe golden-headed cisticola is a small species, growing to 9–11.5 cm (3.5–4.5 in) long and weighing 6–10 g (0.21–0.35 oz), with males slightly heavier than females.
Rattling CisticolaCisticola chinianaThe rattling cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae which is native to Africa south of the equator, and parts of East Africa.
NeddickyCisticola fulvicapillaThe neddicky is a small, vocal, dull-coloured brown bird, 11 cm in length.
Side by side: Golden-headed Cisticola vs Zitting Cisticola · Neddicky vs Zitting Cisticola
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