Zitting Cisticola Desert CisticolaCISTICOLAS 217 CLOUDSCRAPER CISTICOLAS - DESERT: In shape and size...
Transcript of Zitting Cisticola Desert CisticolaCISTICOLAS 217 CLOUDSCRAPER CISTICOLAS - DESERT: In shape and size...
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CLOUDSCRAPER CISTICOLAS - DESERT: In shape and size like Zitting and best distinguished by voice and display; often occur together but Desert prefers drier, sparser grassland (not limited to deserts); likes old agricultural lands, sweet grasslands, grassy Karoo, Kalahari, open savanna, woodland clearings.
Desert CisticolaCisticola aridulus (Woestynklopkloppie)L: 10-12 cm M: 4-(8.5)-13 g[1: C. a. eremicus; 2: C. a. kalahari; 3: C. a. caliginus] Best told from other cloudscraper cisticolas by voice and display: flies jerkily, low over the grass tops, while giving fast, sharp, evenly pitched whistles (3-6/s), interspersed with wing-snaps. Fairly large and long-tailed (similar to Zitting). In the br. season, usually looks paler, greyer and more washed-out than other cisticolas with faintly mottled upperparts and a pale creamy buff, lightly streaked rump. Winter birds are more neatly and boldly streaked with blackish brown and yellow-buff, and have richer underparts and grey-brown to pale reddish buff rumps. The tail is rather uniformly dark (blackish subterminal band is thus less contrasting). See also p. 215 and p. 222.
Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis (Landeryklopkloppie)L: 10-12 cm M: 7-(9)-13 g[C. j. terrestris] Forms the standard to which the other 4 cloudscrapers should be compared. Best identified by voice and most often seen during dipping song-flight, 5-20 m above the ground: gives a sharp zit! call once per second (like a ticking clock). Sometimes sings from a low perch or even overhead powerlines. May be seen on grass stalks or darting about on the ground in search of in-sects. Compared to other cloudscrapers, fairly large and long-tailed (similar to Desert). Tail is dis-tinctly fan-shaped (hence old name of Fan-tailed Cisticola; but not diagnostic). Each grey-brown tail feather has a dark bar near the end plus a white tip. Richly coloured (especially in winter) with a plain, warm rufous to orange rump and lower flank patch. See also p. 215 and p. 222.
CLOUDSCRAPER CISTICOLAS - ZITTING: The most widespread and usually the most common small, short-tailed cisticola. Breeds in moist grassland; likes lush, fairly tall and dense grass e.g. at wetland edges. Occurs in natural but also in modified habitats: open suburbia, golf courses and irrigated fields.
adult br.Upington, NC
grey-brown or dull rufous background
ad. br. Chrissiesmeer, MP (spring similar)
crown becomes
almost plain dark brown in
late summer
faint yellowish orange wash
'blank' expression
may show grey lores
tail longer in winter
rump plain, warm rufous to
orange-buff
dark subterminal bar and white tips
all small cisticolas look leggy, with
strong feet
averages whiter than
usually looks neater and
brighter in non-br. plumage
richer tones than in br. plumage
darker subterminal
band
white tips
slightly more rufous than
adult
unstreaked warm rufous to orange
juvenileBredasdorp, WC
ad. non-br.Pretoria, GP
adult br.Harare, Zim
adult non-br.Manzini, Sw
short, rounded
wings
longish
juv. caliginusChicomo, Moz
ad. br. kalahariPrieska, NC
can be very common in e.g. irrigated fields
black lores (variable)
ad. br. eremicusEtosha, Nam
ad. non-br. caliginusBronkhorstspruit, GP
usually sings in flight but also from weeds, wires, etc.
fond of regenerating agricultural fields
swooping over perched
white below (less yellow
than others)
lightly streaked, pale reddish buff, grey-brown or creamy buff rump
dark background (reduced contrast)
darker band less noticeable
white tips
longish
whitish or pale buff (most paler than Zitting, but
some identical)
often paler and greyer than others
some have plain, greyish buff
crowns; others streaked like
richer buff than br. birds
less rufous and slightly paler than Zitting, but very close
pale orange-
buff
whitish buff
white tips
rump lightly
streaked
ad. non-br. caliginusModimolle, Lim
ad. br. kalahari
Christiana, NW
prefers drier and sparser grassland than Zitting, but
much overlap
best told from other cloudscrapers by song
and display
cloudscrapers helpfully fan their tails open to expose markings
1
2
3
usually yellow
dark bar not obvious
obvious dark bar
relatively large and long-tailed relatively large and long-tailed
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rich, dark lower flank patch
dark grey mottling or black streaks
common on open ground in suburbia
best identified by song and
display