Desert Cisticola
NameDesert Cisticola
Common NameDesert Cisticola
Scientific NameCisticola aridulus
FamilyCisticolidae
Wingspan (cm)11
Length (cm)9.5
Weight (g)8
Plumage DetailsThe Desert Cisticola has streaky brown upperparts with darker feather centers and paler edges, giving a mottled appearance. Its underparts are whitish to buffy, and it features a pale supercilium above the eye. The tail is relatively short and often cocked.
Vocalization / CallIts vocalizations include a high-pitched, insect-like 'tsip-tsip-tsip' or a buzzing trill, often delivered during a display flight.
Primary Dietinsectivore
Primary Habitatsgrassland, desert
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeWidespread across sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Mauritania and Senegal east to Ethiopia and Somalia, and south through eastern and southern Africa to South Africa.
Identifying Featuressmall size, streaky brown upperparts, pale underparts, short tail, pale supercilium
Description
A very small, streaky brown warbler typically found in arid and semi-arid grasslands. It is often observed foraging for small insects among low vegetation, sometimes perching conspicuously on a grass stem.
