The neddicky, or piping cisticola, is a small passerine bird in the family Cisticolidae, which is native to Africa, southwards of the equator. Its strongholds are the light woodlands and shrublands of the subtropics and temperate regions of southern Africa. The common name, neddicky, is the Afrikaans name for the species.
Region
Southern Africa
Typical Environment
Found south of the equator in southern Africa, with strongholds in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and southern Mozambique. It prefers light woodland, scrub, fynbos, and Karoo-type shrublands, especially areas with dense low bushes and scattered thickets. It occurs along savanna edges, in fallow fields with shrubs, and sometimes in shrubby gardens and road verges. It avoids extensive tall grasslands and dense closed-canopy forests. Often occupies ecotones where bushy cover meets open ground.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the piping cisticola, the neddicky is named for its distinctive, high-pitched, repetitive song. It favors shrubby habitats and fynbos, often singing from the tops of low bushes. Pairs maintain small territories year-round and are more often heard than seen due to their unobtrusive habits.
Temperament
skulking but vocal; territorial in pairs
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with bouncing, low flights between bushes
Social Behavior
Typically found singly or in pairs, holding small territories throughout the year. Breeding pairs build a domed or cup-like nest low in dense shrubs or tangles, using grass and plant fibers. Both parents participate in feeding the young, and the species often remains close to cover while foraging.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A bright, high-pitched, piping series of notes repeated persistently from exposed perches. Calls include thin tseep and tsip notes used in contact and alarm. The repetitive song often betrays birds that are otherwise hidden in dense shrubbery.
