Here are a couple of photos of one Zitting Cisticola from near my house in Japan. And the third photo is the OP's bird slightly adjusted.
Warning: Zitting is the only (I think) widespread Cisticola - I've seen them in Africa, Japan, Australia - and in previous discussions on BF African specialists have said that my Japanese birds don't look right for their African birds. So treat with care.
Anyway, I hope you can see from these why I think BlueJay100's bird might be Zitting (and I don't know how to differentiate Desert, but guides (i.e. physical African humans, not books) have said to me that Desert is
really pale).
The Fern: I thought this bird gave a gracile not robust vibe. I'm also 'happy to be wrong...' so maybe someone else will chip in. To repeat, with only this one photo, it may not be possible.
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