Dorst's cisticola, also known as the plaintive cisticola, is a bird in the family Cisticolidae. It occurs in West Africa and south of Lake Chad.
Region
West and Central Africa
Typical Environment
Found in open savanna, tall grasslands, and lightly wooded edges from West Africa to areas south of Lake Chad. It favors rank, often seasonal grasses near marshy patches, floodplains, and agricultural margins. The species tolerates a mosaic of grazed and fallow fields, using dense clumps for cover and nesting. It is typically patchy in occurrence, tracking suitable grass height and structure. Riparian grass belts and seasonally inundated plains are frequently used.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Dorst's cisticola (also called the plaintive cisticola) is a small, elusive warbler of West African savannas and the Lake Chad basin. It keeps low in tall grasses, where its thin, plaintive calls are often heard more than the bird is seen. Like many cisticolas, males perform brief display flights while singing.
Temperament
skulking and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief undulating display flights
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, maintaining small territories within suitable grassland patches. Males give aerial display songs over territory, then drop back into cover. The nest is a small, well-hidden, woven structure placed low in dense grass. Parental care is primarily by the female, with the male focused on territory defense and display.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a thin, plaintive series of high notes or short trills, delivered from a grass stem or during a brief fluttering display. Calls include sharp tsip notes and soft tinkling phrases. Vocalizations carry well over grasslands at dawn and dusk.
