Rock-loving Cisticola

Rock-loving Cisticola

Cisticola aberrans

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Kruger National Park
82 Verified sightings at Kruger National Park From 2019 to 2026
218 Verified sightings across all 14 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Rock-loving Cisticola

The rock-loving cisticola (Cisticola aberrans), also known as the lazy cisticola, is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa and is usually associated with rocky wooded terrain with interspersed patchy grass tussocks. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the Huambo cisticola (Cisticola bailunduensis).

The rock-loving cisticola was formally described and illustrated in 1843 by the Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith under the binomial name Drymoica aberrans based on specimens collected near "Port Natal" (now Durban) in South Africa. The specific epithet is from Latin aberrans, aberrantis meaning "deviating" or "aberrant". The rock-loving cisticola is now one of 53 cisticolas placed in the genus Cisticola that was introduced in 1829 by the German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup.

Seven subspecies are recognised: C. a. admiralis Bates, GL, 1930 – south Mauritania to Mali, Ghana and Sierra Leone C. a. petrophilus Alexander, 1907 – north Nigeria to southwest Sudan, northeast DR Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi

C. a. emini Reichenow, 1892 – south Kenya and north Tanzania C. a. nyika Lynes, 1930 – Zambia and southwest... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
2 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
3 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
4 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
5 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
6 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
7 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
8 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
9 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
10 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
11 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
12 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
13 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
14 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Rock-loving Cisticola in Kruger National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rock-loving Cisticola sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 82 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Rock-loving Cisticola in Kruger National Park?

June has the highest sighting rate for Rock-loving Cisticola in Kruger National Park in our monthly data.

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