Zitting Cisticola
Cisticola juncidis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyCisticolidae (Cisticolas and Allies)
- GenusCisticola (Cisticolas)
- SpeciesCisticola juncidis (Zitting Cisticola)
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 →
Recent sightings of Zitting Cisticola in Khao Sok National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Khao Sok National Park
Dark-necked Tailorbird
Orthotomus atrogularis
Common Tailorbird
Orthotomus sutorius
Rufescent Prinia
Prinia rufescens
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Prinia flaviventris
Rufous-tailed Tailorbird
Orthotomus sericeus
White-rumped Shama
Copsychus malabaricus
Ochraceous Bulbul
Alophoixus ochraceus
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Copsychus saularis
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
Dicaeum trigonostigma
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Muscicapa latirostris
Stripe-throated Bulbul
Pycnonotus finlaysoni
Large-billed Crow
Corvus macrorhynchos
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.