Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyCisticolidae (Cisticolas and Allies)
GenusCisticola (Cisticolas)
SpeciesCisticola juncidis (Zitting Cisticola)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

3 Verified sightings at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park From 2019 to 2026

15,047 Verified sightings across all 94 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Zitting Cisticola

The zitting cisticola, formerly also fan-tailed warbler or streaked fantail warbler (Cisticola juncidis), 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.

The zitting cisticola was described by the naturalist Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1810 and given the binomial name Sylvia juncidis. The type locality is Campofelice di Roccella in Sicily. The current genus name Cisticola is from Ancient Greek kisthos, "rock-rose", and Latin colere, "to dwell". The specific juncidis is also from Latin and is a diminutive of iuncus, "reed".

A total of 17 subspecies are currently accepted; they fall into two main groups, with... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Cisticola rufilatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Cisticola aridulus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Cisticola subruficapilla

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Prinia flavicans

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Eremomela icteropygialis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Malcorus pectoralis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Prinia maculosa

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Dicrurus adsimilis

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Plocepasser mahali

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Philetairus socius

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Lamprotornis nitens

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Laniarius atrococcineus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Horton Plains National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~70%
2	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~40%
3	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	~40%
4	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~30%
5	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~30%
6	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~30%
7	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
8	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
9	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~20%
10	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
11	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
12	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
13	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~20%
14	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~20%
15	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
16	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~20%
17	Minneriya National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~10%
18	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
19	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
20	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~10%
21	Komodo National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~10%
22	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
23	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
24	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
25	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
26	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
27	Golden Gate Highlands National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
28	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
29	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
30	Way Kambas National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~10%
31	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
32	Sierra Nevada National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
33	Kerinci Seblat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~10%
34	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
35	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
36	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
37	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
38	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
39	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~10%
40	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
41	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
42	Bali Barat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~10%
43	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
44	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~10%
45	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
46	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
47	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
48	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
49	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
50	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
51	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	<5%
52	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
53	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
54	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
55	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
56	Khao Yai National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
57	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	<5%
58	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	<5%
59	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
60	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
61	Kakadu National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
62	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
63	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
64	Cat Tien National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	<5%
65	Royal Manas National Park	🇧🇹 Bhutan	<5%
66	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
67	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	<5%
68	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	<5%
69	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
70	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	<5%
71	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
72	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	Insufficient data
73	Cuc Phuong National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	Insufficient data
74	Cévennes National Park	🇫🇷 France	Insufficient data
75	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
76	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	Insufficient data
77	Gunung Leuser National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
78	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	Insufficient data
79	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
80	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	Insufficient data
81	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
82	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
83	Langtang National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	Insufficient data
84	Nikko National Park	🇯🇵 Japan	Insufficient data
85	Picos de Europa National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	Insufficient data
86	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
87	Aigüestortes National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	Insufficient data
88	Doi Inthanon National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	Insufficient data
89	Mercantour National Park	🇫🇷 France	Insufficient data
90	Khao Sok National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	Insufficient data
91	Taman Negara National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data
92	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
93	Sundarbans National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
94	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	Insufficient data

← Back to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Zitting Cisticola

About the Zitting Cisticola

Recent sightings of Zitting Cisticola in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Closest Relatives at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Gray Cisticola

Desert Cisticola

Red-headed Cisticola

Black-chested Prinia

Yellow-bellied Eremomela

Rufous-eared Warbler

Karoo Prinia

Fork-tailed Drongo

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Social Weaver

Red-shouldered Glossy-starling

Crimson-breasted Gonolek

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found