The singing cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs widely from West Africa through Central to parts of East and southern Africa. It favors dry savanna, open woodland, thickets, and scrubby edges, as well as fallow fields and cultivated mosaics. Often found near rank grasses and bushes, it keeps low and moves through cover while foraging. It also uses secondary growth and degraded forest margins where undergrowth is dense.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named for its persistent, melodious song, the singing cisticola is often detected by ear before sight. Males deliver sustained, repetitive phrases from exposed perches or during brief display flights. Like many cisticolas, it builds a domed, grass-and-leaf nest bound with spider silk. Identifying cisticolas often relies on voice, as plumage among species can be very similar.
Illustration
Temperament
secretive but vocal
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs holding small territories. The male sings from exposed perches and performs brief display flights. Nest is a small domed structure low in grass or shrubs, woven from grasses and bound with spider silk; typical clutches are small. Parents tend chicks in dense cover to avoid predators.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A clear, repetitive and musical series of notes and trills, often delivered persistently for long periods. Songs are given from a prominent perch or during short aerial displays and are a key cue for identification.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with fine darker streaking on the mantle, a rufous-tinged crown, and pale buff underparts with whitish throat. The tail is slightly graduated with dusky bars and paler tips. Overall appearance is plain-faced with a subtle pale eyebrow and soft, loosely textured plumage.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small insects such as beetles, ants, termites, caterpillars, and other arthropods. Gleans prey from grass stems, leaves, and low shrubs, and occasionally makes short sallies to catch flying insects. May take small spiders and other invertebrates when available.
Preferred Environment
Forages in rank grass, scrub, and edges of open woodland, often near paths, fallows, or field margins. Stays close to ground or within the lower strata of bushes where cover is dense.
