The stout cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are boreal forest, moist savanna, and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.
Region
East and Central Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs from the Ethiopian and Eritrean highlands through South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, and the eastern DR Congo to Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Republic of the Congo. It favors moist savannas, tall montane and high-altitude grasslands, and rank vegetation along wetlands and forest edges. It also uses fallows and grassy clearings where cover is dense. The species is typically local but can be fairly common where suitable grassland persists. Habitat quality is closely tied to grass height and moisture.
Altitude Range
800–3000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The stout cisticola is a robust, highland-leaning cisticola known for its loud, repetitive song delivered from exposed perches or short display flights. It keeps low in tall grass and can be hard to see despite being vocal. Like many cisticolas, it weaves a domed nest from grasses bound with spider silk, hidden in rank vegetation.
Temperament
secretive but vocal
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low over grass
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs, maintaining territories in dense grass. The nest is a domed structure woven from fine grasses and bound with spider silk, placed low in vegetation. Breeding pairs are monogamous within a season and defend nesting sites vigorously.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, repetitive series of trills and buzzes, often delivered from a prominent grass stem or during a brief song flight. Calls include sharp ticks and churring notes used for contact and alarm.
Plumage
Upperparts warm brown with heavy dark streaking on the mantle and back; underparts buffy to greyish with plainer flanks and belly. Tail short to medium, often appearing rounded. Feathers look somewhat coarse on the back, enhancing the streaked appearance.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and spiders. Gleans prey from grass stems and seed heads and occasionally makes short sallies to snatch flying insects. May take small seeds opportunistically but animal prey predominates. Foraging is typically low and concealed within dense cover.
Preferred Environment
Tall, moist grasslands, sedge beds, and edges of marshes where cover is continuous. Also forages along grassy clearings and fallows near forest margins and upland farms.
