Disambiguation: Winding Cisticola has recently been split. For other forms previously included in this see Rufous-winged Cisticola, Coastal Cisticola, Ethiopian Cisticola, and Luapula Cisticola
- Cisticola marginatus
Identification
Length 12-14 cm (4¾-5½ in), mass 10-15 g.
A 'Black-backed' Cisticola with rufous wing panels. It has a grey tail with prominent sub-terminal spots and white tips on the rectrices.
Distribution
Sub-Saharan Africa
Western Africa: Mauritania, Senegambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Taxonomy
Rufous-winged Cisticola, Coastal Cisticola, Ethiopian Cisticola, and Luapula Cisticola have all been treated as subspecies of Winding Cisticola in the past[2, 3, 4, 5, 6] - 6.
Subspecies
Five subspecies are recognized[1]:
- Northern Nigeria east to southwestern Sudan
- C. m. marginatus:
- C. m. nyansae:
- Central and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to Uganda and western Kenya
- C. m. suahelicus:
- Central Tanzania to south-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, northern Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique
Habitat
Mainly wetlands.
Behaviour
Usually singly or in pairs.
Diet
The forage in undergrowth for insects and invertebrates such as caterpillars, grasshoppers and mantids.
Breeding
Monogamous and territorial. The nest is a ball of dry grass with a side entrance, usually built above water in a marsh. Their clutch contains two to four eggs which are incubated for about 12 days. There may be a second brood in suitable areas.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill F & Wright M. 2006. Birds of the World: Recommended English Names. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ, USA. ISBN 9780691128276
- Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533
- Hustler, K. 2001. The breeding biology of the Black-backed Cisticola in north-west Zimbabwe with notes on song and specific ststus. Honeyguide 47, 25-36.
- Lepage D. 2008. Avibase. Search for "Cisticola galactotes" downloaded June 2008.
- Ryan PG, Dean WRJ, Madge SC & Pearson DJ. 2006. Family Cisticolidae (Cisticolas and allies): species accounts. Pp. 420-490 In: del Hoyo J, Elliott A & Christie DA eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 11. Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 849655306X
- Sinclair I & Ryan P. 2003. Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0620207299
- Ryan, P. (2020). Winding Cisticola (Cisticola marginatus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/58622 on 9 March 2020)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Winding Cisticola. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Winding_Cisticola
External Links
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