The grey wren-warbler is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.
Region
East and Central Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs widely from Ethiopia and Somalia south through Kenya and Tanzania to Malawi and Zambia, and west to eastern Angola and the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Prefers dry savanna, thornbush, and Acacia-Commiphora scrub, often with tangled understory. It frequents riverine thickets and edges of woodland but avoids open grassland. Typically keeps low in dense shrubs, moving furtively between cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A secretive skulk of dry savannas and thorn scrub, the grey wren-warbler is more often heard than seen. Pairs keep in touch with sharp calls and frequently duet, flicking and cocking their tails as they move through dense cover. Their insect-hunting helps control small arthropods in semi-arid habitats.
Grey Wren-Warbler at Lake Bogoria - Kenya
Grey Wren-Warbler (ventral view) at Lake Bogoria - Kenya
Temperament
secretive and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct between cover
Social Behavior
Usually found singly or in pairs that maintain year-round territories. Nests are placed low in dense shrubs, where they build a small cup. Pairs communicate constantly and may engage in coordinated duet singing.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song and calls are sharp, metallic chips and whistles, often delivered antiphonally by a pair. The duet can sound like a rapid exchange of short notes from within thick cover.
Plumage
Mostly plain grey to dark grey with slightly paler underparts and contrasting rufous undertail coverts; tail often held cocked. Subtle darker face and ear-coverts give a masked look, with fine, faint barring on the tail in some birds.
Diet
Feeds primarily on small insects and other arthropods such as beetles, ants, termites, spiders, and caterpillars. Forages by gleaning from leaves and twigs and by probing into bark crevices and tangled vegetation. Occasionally sally-hawking short distances to snatch disturbed prey.
Preferred Environment
Dense low shrubs, thorn scrub, and woodland edges where it can move under cover. Often near thickets along drainage lines and within Acacia-dominated savanna.
