From Opus

Photo by Momo
Gialova Lagoon, Peloponnese, Greece, September 2006

Alternative name: Fan-tailed Warbler

Cisticola juncidis

Disambiguation: For the American species Euthlypis lachrymosa, see Fan-tailed Warbler

[edit] Identification

10-11cm.

• Sandy-brown above, heavily streaked with black on the mantle
• White underparts
• Short broad, white-tipped tail
  

Breeding male has a black bill

[edit] Distribution

Southern Europe, Africa outside the deserts and rainforest, and southern Asia down to northern Australia.

Photo by kctsang
Singapore, April 2006

[edit] Taxonomy

This genus is sometimes split off with various other southern warbler genera and given family status as the Cisticolidae.

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

Photo by M Kwan
Long Valley, Hong Kong, December 2007

• C. j. cisticola:

• Coastal western France to Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands and north-western Africa

• C. j. juncidis:

• Southern France to Corsica, Sardinia, Balkans, Turkey, Syria and Israel

• C. j. neuroticus:

• Cyprus, Levant, Iraq and western Iran

• C. j. uropygialis (perrenius):

• Senegal to southern Nigeria, Sudan, Rwanda and northern Tanzania; Mafia Island

• C. j. terrestris:

• Rio Muni to central Zaire, Burundi and southern Tanzania

• C. j. cursitans:

• Eastern Afghanistan to Pakistan, Nepal, northern Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka

• C. j. salimalii:

• South-western India (Kerala)

• C. j. omalurus:

• Sri Lanka

• C. j. malaya:

• Southern Myanmar to Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra and western Java

• C. j. brunniceps:

• Japan (Honshu to Ryukyu, Izu and Cheju-Do islands) to northern Philippines

• C. j. tinnabulans:

• Southern China to Indochina, Hainan, Taiwan and Philippines

• C. j. nigrostriatus:

• South-western Philippines (Culion and Palawan)

• C. j. fuscicapilla:

• Eastern Java, Kangean Islands and Lesser Sundas

• C. j. constans:

• Sulawesi, Togian Island, Muna Island, Tukangbesi Island and Peleng Island

• C. j. normani:

• Coastal southern New Guinea and coastal northern Queensland

• C. j. leanyeri:

• Disjunct in coastal northern Australia to western Gulf of Carpenteria

• C. j. laveryi:

• Coastal north-eastern Queensland (Cape York Peninsula south to Keppel Island)

[edit] Habitat

Open land with shrub, damp scrubby grassland, reeds, cane fields, thick brush, mangroves. Grassy coastal plains, saltmarsh etc.

[edit] Behaviour

A small Warbler often seen only as a fleeting glimpse as it is a very active little bird. Some subspecies appear to be shier than others.

[edit] Nesting

The female builds a cup shaped nest deep in grasses, from living leaves, plant-down, cobwebs, and grass, with a canopy of tied-together leaves or grasses overhead for camouflage. Three to six eggs are laid.

[edit] Vocalisation

The male has a most distinctive song-flight. It flies in circles about 20 ft above the ground, undulating considerably. At the top of each arc it gives a sort of 'zit' note.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Wikipedia
3. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
4. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
5. BF Member observations

[edit] External Links