CISTICOLAS214

Song-flight displays and voices of cloudscraper cisticolasThe 5 cloudscraper cisticolas (p. 216-223) present a considerable challenge, even to expert birders. Identification should ideally be based on the aerial displays and songs performed by in the br. season (mostly Sept-Apr). In some, these flights are performed at great height, rendering the tiny songster nearly invisible, while others display lower down. Note song speed and composition, flight pattern, and presence of audible wing-snapping. These diagrams show some general patterns but actual displays differ regionally and individually. Territorial/sexual displays are indicated on the left; alarm calls and displays to the right. Scale arbitrary.

ZITTING CISTICOLA

diameter up to 200 m

may swoop down over

often returns to

same perch

5-20 m (rarely 50 m)

starts singing in dipping ascent

zit zit zit zit zit zit zit

zit zit zit zit zit

zit zit

zit

zit

zit

zit

both sexes may wing-snap when

alarmed, but not habitually as in Desert

or Wing-snapping

wing-snaps

alarm call a rapid, excited

chik-chik-chik...

no wing-snaps

DESERT CISTICOLAdisplays lower down than others: sometimes skims grass at just 2 m up, but at times to 25 m above the ground

5-10 m

flight path erratic: sideways dashes or up and downmay or may

not include wing-snaps repeatedly

swoops over

si-si-si...

ting-ting-ting...

zee-zee-zee...

'improvisation': mixes wing-snaps with zzip alarm

calls and song whistles

alarmed

bounces like yo-yo

wing-snaps

WING-SNAPPING CISTICOLA

50 m+ (virtually invisible)

cruises upwind, then quickly doubles back to perform another circuit

song very thin and high: variable...

...but tempo always slower than Cloud

snaps wings when alarmed

continued clicking sound

while 'dropping out of the sky';

sometimes also snaps wings

may incorporate wing-snaps into song too

often dives several metres with tik-tik-

tik sounds, then resumes cruising

CLOUD CISTICOLA

climbs at 45° angle;

starts singing about 5 m up

level, cruising path

occasionally dives then resumes cruising

song recalls Wing-snapping's, but tempo always faster

does not audibly snap wings

calls include a soft, plaintive,

sad teee whistle

almost vertical descent

continuous stream of notes: chic-chik-chik....starts with dive

swerves up just before

ground

PALE-CROWNED CISTICOLA

climbs silently or

sings slow teee teee....

cruises in level or

somewhat erratic path

very high, thin teee teee teee.... 3-7x

may incorporate barely audible

wing-snaps into song

faster chree, chree, chree... many times

during dive

swoops up into level

flight again

chree, chree

silent final dive

alarm call is an agitated WHIR-r-r-r-r

or single whistles

wing-snaps

conversational calls incl. soft bleats, soft tsik

or zit-zit or tchew etc.

silent

50 m+ (virtually invisible)

50 m+ (virtually invisible)

Identification: VoiceWhat cisticolas lack in terms of colourful plumage, striking patterns or gaudy ornamental feathers, they more than compensate for by their penetrating and incessant voices. As mentioned before, the songs and calls of cisticolas are always the safest (and easiest) method of positively distinguishing between species.

This is particularly true of the 5 small cloudscraper cisticolas which are exceedingly difficult to identify when silent but are easily identified when the give their unmistakable songs and perform their amazingly energetic, extended song-flights in summer (see opposite page). Note that the songs of some small cisticolas are not only given from very high in the sky, but are also very thin and high-pitched, to the extent that senior birders may have trouble hearing them.

Most other cisticola species also execute shorter, lower song-flights in the br. season. However, some instead sing from a conspicuous position on a treetop, shrub, boulder or fence, for lengthy periods. Short examples of the typical territorial songs of selected species are depicted in the sonograms at right.

In addition to songs, which are mainly given by during the breeding season, both sexes also utter short, shrill, intense alarm calls that are often rapidly repeated. These can also be useful for identification: there is no mistaking the harsh chair-chair-chair scolding of a concerned Rattling Cisticola for example, and the same can be said of the insistent dzing-dzing-dzing of Levaillant's, the moaning bleats of Lazy or the rapid ticking sound, like a fingernail drawn across the teeth of a comb, produced by an alarmed Neddicky. Some of the cloudscraper cisticolas also alternate their alarm calls with audible wing-snaps.

Cloud Cisticola (left) and Wing-snapping Cisticola (right). Both species give short, whistled motifs interspersed with clicking sounds. Cloud's song is faster, more cheerful and usually ends in several clicks; Wing-snapping's song consists of slower and more even whistles and is often introduced by clicking sounds.

SkHz

6

8

4

so

ck'ck'seee seee seee

1s S 1s2s

6

8

4su su su

si si

ck'ck'ck

Zitting Cisticola (left) and Desert Cisticola (right). Zitting simply gives sharp zit-notes every second, like a ticking watch. Desert gives a long series of sharp whistles, plus wing-snaps (!). Neddicky song is quite similar to the even whistles of Desert.

S 1s 1s 2skHz

6

8

4zit zit zit

S

6

8

4

si-si-si-si-si-si-si-si-si-si-si-si

! !

q-reep

Croaking Cisticola. Gives a variety of loud, frog-like croaks at varying pace, interspersed with clicking sounds; here, examples of 3 different phrases are shown. Sings in flight or from a perch.

S 1s 3s 4skHz

4

6

2

2s

q-reep q-reep

q-q croak

q'crrroooAAAK

Levaillant's (left), Rufous-winged (middle) and Chirping (right) Cisticolas. Levaillant's gives a brief, lively, complex phrase. Rufous-winged gives simple, explosive notes. Chirping gives a characteristic buzzy trill introduced by a few short clicks.

S 1skHz

6

8

4

1sS

6

8

4

S

6

8

4

tip-chirri'ro'ree djiiT djiiT djiiT chip chip-chipcheeezze

Wailing Cisticola. Wailing, Grey-backed and Tinkling Cisticolas (i.e. 'bubbling' cisticolas) give stuttered, rattling trills (even or rising slightly), often followed by a few sharp whistles.

S 1s 3s 4skHz

6

8

4

prrrRRRee

2s

twee-twee-twee-twee-tweep'p' p

Rattling (left) and Red-faced Cisticolas (right). Rattling's song is a characteristic 1-2-3-cheer, with endless variation. Red-faced gives a long series of descending (or even) whistles.

S 1s 1s 2skHz

4

6

2

S

chi-chi-chiCHIRR

tsk ti-ti-ti-TEE-TEE-TEE-TEW-TEW-TEW-TOI

4

6

2

Breeding of many cisticola species develop black palates in the nesting season; this is shown off to good effect while singing from a conspicuous perch, as demonstrated by this Rattling Cisticola.

215CISTICOLAS