The cinnamon bracken warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the family Locustellidae. It is native to mountainous regions of East Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.
Region
East African Highlands
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily from the Ethiopian Highlands south through the Rift and adjacent montane belts of South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, eastern DR Congo, and northern Tanzania. It favors dense stands of bracken, forest edge, bamboo thickets, and secondary montane scrub. Often found in moist gullies, along streams, and in clearings within montane forest. It avoids open grassland and primary forest interiors, keeping close to low, tangled cover for foraging and nesting.
Altitude Range
1200–3300 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A shy, ground-loving warbler that keeps to dense bracken and shrub tangles, it is far more often heard than seen. Its rich cinnamon tones blend perfectly with dead fern fronds, and it frequently flicks and cocks its tail while skirting cover. Pairs stay on territories in montane zones year-round and broadcast an insistent, buzzy song from low, concealed perches.
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats low through cover
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, remaining close to dense low vegetation. Nests are low, well-concealed cups placed in bracken or other thick cover. Both parents participate in feeding the young, and territories are maintained during the breeding season.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Delivers a persistent series of dry, buzzy trills and metallic churring phrases from within cover. Calls include thin tseep notes and harsher scolds. The song can carry surprisingly far in still montane air.
