The foxy cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae.
Region
West Africa and the Sahel
Typical Environment
This species occupies dry to semi-arid savanna, Sahelian scrub, and open grasslands with scattered shrubs and rocky or lateritic outcrops. It favors areas with a mosaic of short to medium-height grasses, often near lightly cultivated land or fallow fields. It avoids dense forest and very tall, unbroken grass, instead using edges, paths, and lightly grazed patches. During the breeding season it maintains small territories with suitable song perches.
Altitude Range
0–1500 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The foxy cisticola is a small, warm rufous-brown warbler of open grasslands and scrub in the African Sahel and adjacent savannas. It often sings from exposed perches or during brief fluttering song-flights, making it easier to detect than to see well in dense grass. Like many cisticolas, it constructs a delicate, domed nest stitched from grasses and spider silk low in vegetation. Its subtle plumage varies slightly with wear and season.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, fluttering song-flights
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in monogamous pairs holding small territories in breeding season. The nest is a delicate, domed structure woven from grasses and bound with spider silk, placed low in grass or a small shrub. Both adults remain close to cover and make short sallies to forage.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The song is a high, tinkling series of chips and buzzy trills, often delivered from an exposed perch or during a brief aerial display. Calls include sharp tiks and soft tsee notes that carry in open country.
