Species:

Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)

Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens)

Change species:
Main Images:
Next species:
Length (cm):
10-10
13-14
Wingspan (cm):
12-14
24-32
Weight (gram):
8-12
21-30
Size group:
Warbler-size
Sparrow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

Small, short winged warbler. Similar to Scrub Warbler (Scotocerca inquieta) and Graceful Warbler (Prinia gracilis), but both wings and tail much shorter. Tail fan-shaped with black and white tips. Heavily streaked back, buff underparts and pale throat and vent. Pale area around eye. Flight diagnostic, with whirring wings and short, slightly spread, fan-like tail. Song flight even more distinct, with long undulations synchronised with voice.

Sound:

Male song a diagnostic, monosyllabic, high-pitched "cist", repeated in an even rhythm about once every second, while in bounding song-flight or perched. Alarm call a short, clipping "witt", repeated in series.

Song and alarm:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

CC

Appearance:

Small lark with short, blunt bill and markedly streaked breast. The long primary projection is not covered by the tertials, as in (Greater) Short-toed Lark. Upperparts browner, and the dark shoulder patch og GSL is missing. Supercilium reaches all the way to bill-base. Wing-markings diffuse. Flight and behaviour similar to GSL. Sometimes performs song flight in characteristic "slow motion".

Sound:

Contact call most diagnostic. A drawn, rattling "prrrrrrrt". Longer than in GSL, and less defined. Last syllable (t) accented and with a lower pitch. Song more continuous than in GSL, with a jerky rhythm and lots of mimicry. Listen for the interweaved contact calls.

Contact call, song:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Warbler-like
Silhouette
Wagtail/pipit-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
ImageImageImageImageImageImage
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
Several different sounds of the species
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file