loading...

Grey-backed Cisticola

Cisticola subruficapilla

The grey-backed cisticola or red-headed cisticola (Cisticola subruficapilla) is a small passerine bird. This cisticola is a resident breeder in southernmost Angola, Namibia and western South Africa. It is a very common bird of coastal fynbos, karoo shrub and grassy areas on estuarine flats. The grey-backed cisticola is a small, 13–14 cm long, vocal, dull-coloured bird with a dark rufous crown to its reddish head. It has a rufous panel in the folded wing. The grey bill is short and straight, and the feet and legs are pinkish-brown. The eye is light brown. The southern form, "grey-backed cisticola" proper, found in southern Namibia and South Africa has a grey back heavily streaked with black. Its underparts are greyish white. Although cisticolas can be very similar in plumage, this greyish subspecies is quite distinctive. The northern subspecies has a brown back heavily streaked with black and cold buff underparts. It is very similar to the wailing cisticola, Cisticola lais, of eastern South Africa, but that species has warmer buff underparts and does not overlap in range.
Birda logo
Download Birda for free and join the community of curious everyday people connecting with the natural world
Birda logo
Download Birda for free and join the community

Grey-backed Cisticolas on Birda

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
🦅
Aart Verrips
Saturday 27 May 2023 - 6:15am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
🦅
Aart Verrips
Sunday 23 Apr 2023 - 8:37am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
🦅
Aart Verrips
Thursday 20 Apr 2023 - 7:06am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
🦅
Aart Verrips
Sunday 16 Apr 2023 - 7:50am
South Africa
Connect with nature,
Find your flock
Copyright © 2023 Chirp Birding Ltd. All rights reserved.