Zitting Cisticola

The Zitting Cisticola is a species of passerine bird in the Cisticolidae family, very discreet outside the breeding season. It is the only representative of this family in Europe.
The adult has buff or reddish-brown upperparts with dark streaks on the crown, mantle, back, and uppertail coverts. The rump is nearly plain. The upperparts become duller and darker in worn plumage. The flight feathers and tail are dark brown. The flight feathers and upperwing coverts have buff edges, while the tail is edged with reddish-brown with a blackish subterminal band and a white tip (in fresh plumage). The underparts are buff-cream with the throat and center of the belly paler. The flanks and lower belly are cinnamon-buff. It has small wings and a strong, often slightly curved bill.

ZITTING CISTICOLA

Flight

The Zitting Cisticola has an undulating flight during courtship displays. It flies high in the air while zigzagging.

Habitat

This discreet species prefers the vicinity of wetlands such as marshes. It lives in marshy areas planted with rushes or reeds, in wastelands, fields, and meadows with abundant tall grass. It tends to hunt in wet environments such as the reedbeds of the Camargue. 

Regime - Diet

The Zitting Cisticola is insectivorous, but it also readily eats the small seeds of marsh plants. In winter, its diet consists mainly of flies and larvae. It feeds by walking and hopping on the ground.

Nesting

The nest, built solely by the male, is very elaborate. It is shaped like a vertical pear using grass and spider silk. It has an entrance at the top, but positioned to avoid the elements. This nest is quite small, no more than 15 cm high and 6 cm wide. It is located at a height of between 30 and 50 centimeters above the ground in a thick clump of grass.

The first clutch is laid at the end of March at the earliest, as the chicks are very sensitive to cold and damp. It consists of 4 to 6 eggs. The female lays one egg per day until the clutch is full. She incubates alone, but her partner remains nearby. Hatching occurs 12 days after the last egg is laid.

The female feeds the chicks alone, feeding them insects and spiders. They leave the nest after 12 days, but remain dependent for some time after fledging. The altricial chicks fledge at about 15 days old.
The Zitting Cisticola's nest is sometimes parasitized by the Common Cuckoo.

Migration

The Zitting Cisticola is not migratory. Being sedentary, the Zitting Cisticola is therefore sensitive to harsh winters.

Protection

The Zitting Cisticola is currently considered not threatened. It is classified as "Least Concern" by the IUCN due to its large population.

Song

The Zitting Cisticola emits a simple "chip" or "plip" when it takes flight following a disturbance. The song is a harsh "tsip" or a more buzzing "tzeep," repeated at short intervals from a perch or in flight. It can be identified by its typical flight and song; during a fast, undulating flight, it emits a very loud "tchip" at intervals of approximately 0.7 seconds. It is common to hear it without being able to locate it.

Species sheet