Zitting cisticola: Difference between revisions

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| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = <ref name=”iucn status 12 November 2021″>{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2017 |title=””Cisticola juncidis” |volume=2017 |article-number=e.T22713491A111070621 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22713491A111070621.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>

| image = Zitting ~~Cisticola~~ in ~~Bhigwan~~ ~~August~~ ~~2025 by Tisha Mukherjee 01~~.jpg

| image = Zitting .jpg

| image_caption = In ~~[[Bhigwan]]~~, ~~Maharashtra~~, ~~India~~.

| image_caption = , , .

| image2 = Zitting Cisticola in Bhigwan August 2025 by Tisha Mukherjee 01.jpg

| image2_caption = ”C. j. cursitans” (eastern group) in [[Bhigwan]], Maharashtra, India.

| genus = Cisticola

| species = juncidis

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}}

The ”’zitting cisticola”’ or ”’streaked fantail warbler”’ (””’Cisticola juncidis””’) is a widely distributed [[Old World warbler]] whose breeding range includes southern [[Europe]], [[Africa]] (outside the deserts and rainforest), and southern [[Asia]] down to northern [[Australia]]. A small bird found mainly in grasslands, it is best identified by its rufous rump; in addition it lacks any gold on the collar and the brownish tail is tipped with white. During the breeding season males have a zigzagging flight display accompanied by regular “~~zitting~~” calls that ~~have~~ ~~been~~ ~~likened~~ ~~to repeated snips of a~~ ~~scissor~~. They build their pouch nest suspended within a clump of grass.

The ”’zitting cisticola”’ or ”’streaked fantail warbler”’ (””’Cisticola juncidis””’) is a widely distributed [[Old World warbler]] whose breeding range includes southern [[Europe]], [[Africa]] (outside the deserts and rainforest), and southern [[Asia]] down to northern [[Australia]]. A small bird found mainly in grasslands, it is best identified by its rufous rump; in addition it lacks any gold on the collar and the brownish tail is tipped with white. During the breeding season males have a zigzagging flight display accompanied by regular “” calls that . They build their pouch nest suspended within a clump of grass.

== Taxonomy and systematics ==

The zitting cisticola was [[Species description|described]] by the naturalist [[Constantine Samuel Rafinesque]] in 1810 and given the [[binomial name]] ”Sylvia juncidis”. The [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] is [[Campofelice di Roccella]] in Sicily.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rafinesque|first=Constantine Samuel|author-link=Constantine Samuel Rafinesque|year=1810|title=Caratteri di alcuni nuovi generi e nuove specie di animali e piante della Sicilia|language=it|place=Palermo|publisher=Per le stampe di Sanfilippo|page=6|url= https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47825957}}</ref><ref name=Check-list>{{cite book|editor1-last=Mayr|editor1-first=Ernst|editor1-link=Ernst Mayr|editor2-last=Cottrell|editor2-first=G. William|year=1986|title=Check-list of Birds of the World. Volume 11|volume=11|publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology|place=Cambridge, Massachusetts|pages=114–117| url= https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14483815|via=Biodiversity Heritage Library}} [https://archive.org/stream/checklistofbirds111986pete#page/113/mode/1up – via Internet Archive]</ref> The current [[genus]] name ”Cisticola” is from [[Ancient Greek]] ”kisthos”, “[[rock-rose]]”, and [[Latin]] ”colere”, “to dwell”. The [[Specific name (zoology)|specific]] ”juncidis” is also from Latin and is a diminutive of ”iuncus”, “reed”.<ref name=job>{{cite book|last=Jobling|first=James A.|year=2010|title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names|url= https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling|publisher=Christopher Helm|location=London|isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4|pages= [https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling/page/n109 109, 212]}}</ref>

===Subspecies===

Across their wide distribution range, several variations in populations have been noted and as many as 18 subspecies are recognized. They differ slightly in calls, plumage and size and some have been considered full species in some taxonomic treatments. The nominate form is found in southern France, Greece, Turkey, Sicily, Corsica and Egypt while western Portugal and Spain have ”cisticola”. The population in Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Iran is ”neuroticus” while the northern and eastern African population is ”uropygialis” and ”perennius” (further south). Gabon, Angola, and southern Africa are home to ”terrestris”. The population in the Western Ghats of India, ”salimalii”, does not show seasonal tail length variation as in ”cursitans” of the plains of India and dry-zone of Sri Lanka, which has a longer tail in the non-breeding season. Population ”malaya” is found in southern Southeast Asia, ”tinnabulans” further north in southern China while ”brunniceps” is found in Korea and Japan. Other populations include ”nigrostriatus” (Philippines), ”constans” (Sulawesi), ”fuscicapilla” (east Java), ”leanyeri” (northern Australia), ”normani” (northwest Queensland) and ”laveryi” (northeast Australia).<ref name=Check-list/>

A total of 17 [[subspecies]] are currently accepted;<ref name=”IOC”>{{cite web |title=Grassbirds, Donacobius, tetrakas, cisticolas, allies |website=IOC World Bird List – Version 15.1 |date=2025-02-20 |url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/bow/grassbirds/ |access-date=2026-02-09}}</ref><ref name=avilist>{{ cite web | author=AviList Core Team | date=2025 | title=AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025 | doi=10.2173/avilist.v2025 | doi-access=free | url=http://www.avilist.org/checklist/v2025/ | access-date=2026-02-09 }}</ref> they fall into two main groups, with a deep genetic divide between them coinciding with the large gap in the range between western Iran and Pakistan:<ref name=”Martin”>{{cite journal |last1=Martin |first1=Ralph |title=Song variation in the Zitting Cisticola |journal=British Birds |date=2023 |volume=116 |issue=3 |pages=127-142 |url=https://britishbirds.co.uk/journal/article/song-variation-zitting-cisticola |access-date=9 February 2026}}</ref>

*Western (Africa, Western Palearctic)

**”Cisticola juncidis cisticola” (Temminck, 1820) — coastal western France to Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands, and northwestern Africa

**”Cisticola juncidis juncidis” (Rafinesque, 1810) — southern France to Corsica, Sardinia, Balkans, Crete, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Israel, and Egypt

**”Cisticola juncidis uropygialis” (L. Fraser, 1843) — Senegal to southern Nigeria, Sudan, Rwanda, and northern Tanzania; Mafia Island

**”Cisticola juncidis terrestris” (A. Smith, 1842) — Equatorial Guinea (Río Muni), central Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and southern Tanzania southward to southern South Africa

**”Cisticola juncidis neuroticus” Meinertzhagen, 1920 — Cyprus, Levant, Iraq, and western Iran

*Eastern (Eastern Palearctic to Australasia)

**”Cisticola juncidis cursitans” (J. Franklin, 1831) — eastern Afghanistan to Pakistan, Nepal, northern Myanmar, India, and dry lowlands of northeastern Sri Lanka

**”Cisticola juncidis salimalii” H. Whistler, 1936 — southwestern India (Kerala)

**”Cisticola juncidis omalurus” E. Blyth, 1851 — moist areas of Sri Lanka

**”Cisticola juncidis brunniceps” (C. J. Temminck & H. Schlegel, 1850) — Korea, Japan (Honshu southward, including Ryukyu & Izu islands), and Batan Islands north of the Philippines

**”Cisticola juncidis tinnabulans” (R. Swinhoe, 1859) — southern China to Indochina, Hainan, Taiwan, and Philippines

**”Cisticola juncidis nigrostriatus” K. C. Parkes, 1971 — southwestern Philippines (Culion and Palawan)

**”Cisticola juncidis malaya” H. Lynes, 1930 — Nicobar Islands, southern Myanmar, and Thailand through the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Sumatra and Java

**”Cisticola juncidis fuscicapilla” Wallace, 1864 — eastern Java, Kangean Islands, and Lesser Sundas

**”Cisticola juncidis constans” H. Lynes, 1938 — Sulawesi region, including Togian and Peleng, and Banggai, Muna, and Tukangbesi islands off east & southeast Sulawesi

**”Cisticola juncidis leanyeri” T. V. Givens & W. B. Hitchcock, WB, 1953 — north-central Australia (Tiwi Islands, northeastern Northern Territory, and southwestern Gulf of Carpentaria)

**”Cisticola juncidis normani” G. M. Mathews, 1914 — coastal southern New Guinea and coastal northeastern Australia (southeastern Gulf of Carpentaria to Princess Charlotte Bay)

**”Cisticola juncidis laveryi” R. Schodde & I. J. Mason, 1979 — northeastern Australia (Ingham to Rockhampton, northeastern Queensland)

The subspecies differ slightly in plumage and size, and more obviously in song structure; some have been suggested as potential full species.

In a major study of the song,<ref name=”Martin”/> two major regional song types were found, with one group of seven dialects in Africa and the Western Palearctic, and the other with eight dialects in the Eastern Palearctic to Australasia. Within each of the two regions, the dialects overlap, and did not fully match the accepted subspecies boundaries, suggesting more local and moderate distance dispersal than previously believed (e.g. a bird with a typically northwestern African dialect found in Corsica, and one with a typically mid-European dialect found in western Morocco<ref name=”Martin”/>). In much of the range, the song is given evenly spaced “zit – zit – zit – zit – zit – zit”, but in eastern Asia, a ‘double zit’ form “zit zit – zit zit – zit zit” occurs, largely (but not fully) coinciding with the subspecies ”C. j. malaya”, ”C. j. tinnabulans”, ”C. j. brunniceps”, and the Indonesian and Australasian subspecies.<ref name=”Martin”/> The Indian subspecies ”C. j. cursitans” has singly-spaced “zit” as in the western birds, but with the ‘zit dialect’ more like other eastern birds.<ref name=”Martin”/>

”C. j. salimalii” does not show seasonal tail length variation as in ”C. j. cursitans”, which has a longer tail in the non-breeding season.{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}

This genus is sometimes split off with various other southern warbler genera and given family status as the Cisticolidae. This species was previously known as the fan-tailed warbler, but the current name gives consistency with the many tropical cisticola species, as well as avoiding confusion with an American species also named the [[fan-tailed warbler]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

Species of bird

The zitting cisticola, formerly also fan-tailed warbler or streaked fantail warbler (Cisticola juncidis) is a widely distributed Old World warbler whose breeding range includes southern Europe, Africa (outside the deserts and rainforest), and southern Asia down to northern Australia. A small bird found mainly in grasslands, it is best identified by its rufous rump; in addition it lacks any gold on the collar and the brownish tail is tipped with white. During the breeding season males have a zigzagging flight display accompanied by regular “zit” calls that give it its English name. They build their pouch nest suspended within a clump of grass.

Taxonomy and systematics

[edit]

The zitting cisticola was described by the naturalist Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1810 and given the binomial name Sylvia juncidis. The type locality is Campofelice di Roccella in Sicily.^[2]^[3] The current genus name Cisticola is from Ancient Greek kisthos, “rock-rose“, and Latin colere, “to dwell”. The specific juncidis is also from Latin and is a diminutive of iuncus, “reed”.^[4]

A total of 17 subspecies are currently accepted;^[5]^[6] they fall into two main groups, with a deep genetic divide between them coinciding with the large gap in the range between western Iran and Pakistan:^[7]

Western (Africa, Western Palearctic)
- Cisticola juncidis cisticola (Temminck, 1820) — coastal western France to Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands, and northwestern Africa
- Cisticola juncidis juncidis (Rafinesque, 1810) — southern France to Corsica, Sardinia, Balkans, Crete, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Israel, and Egypt
- Cisticola juncidis uropygialis (L. Fraser, 1843) — Senegal to southern Nigeria, Sudan, Rwanda, and northern Tanzania; Mafia Island
- Cisticola juncidis terrestris (A. Smith, 1842) — Equatorial Guinea (Río Muni), central Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and southern Tanzania southward to southern South Africa
- Cisticola juncidis neuroticus Meinertzhagen, 1920 — Cyprus, Levant, Iraq, and western Iran
Eastern (Eastern Palearctic to Australasia)
- Cisticola juncidis cursitans (J. Franklin, 1831) — eastern Afghanistan to Pakistan, Nepal, northern Myanmar, India, and dry lowlands of northeastern Sri Lanka
- Cisticola juncidis salimalii H. Whistler, 1936 — southwestern India (Kerala)
- Cisticola juncidis omalurus E. Blyth, 1851 — moist areas of Sri Lanka
- Cisticola juncidis brunniceps (C. J. Temminck & H. Schlegel, 1850) — Korea, Japan (Honshu southward, including Ryukyu & Izu islands), and Batan Islands north of the Philippines
- Cisticola juncidis tinnabulans (R. Swinhoe, 1859) — southern China to Indochina, Hainan, Taiwan, and Philippines
- Cisticola juncidis nigrostriatus K. C. Parkes, 1971 — southwestern Philippines (Culion and Palawan)
- Cisticola juncidis malaya H. Lynes, 1930 — Nicobar Islands, southern Myanmar, and Thailand through the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Sumatra and Java
- Cisticola juncidis fuscicapilla Wallace, 1864 — eastern Java, Kangean Islands, and Lesser Sundas
- Cisticola juncidis constans H. Lynes, 1938 — Sulawesi region, including Togian and Peleng, and Banggai, Muna, and Tukangbesi islands off east & southeast Sulawesi
- Cisticola juncidis leanyeri T. V. Givens & W. B. Hitchcock, WB, 1953 — north-central Australia (Tiwi Islands, northeastern Northern Territory, and southwestern Gulf of Carpentaria)
- Cisticola juncidis normani G. M. Mathews, 1914 — coastal southern New Guinea and coastal northeastern Australia (southeastern Gulf of Carpentaria to Princess Charlotte Bay)
- Cisticola juncidis laveryi R. Schodde & I. J. Mason, 1979 — northeastern Australia (Ingham to Rockhampton, northeastern Queensland)

The subspecies differ slightly in plumage and size, and more obviously in song structure; some have been suggested as potential full species.

In a major study of the song,^[7] two major regional song types were found, with one group of seven dialects in Africa and the Western Palearctic, and the other with eight dialects in the Eastern Palearctic to Australasia. Within each of the two regions, the dialects overlap, and did not fully match the accepted subspecies boundaries, suggesting more local and moderate distance dispersal than previously believed (e.g. a bird with a typically northwestern African dialect found in Corsica, and one with a typically mid-European dialect found in western Morocco^[7]). In much of the range, the song is given evenly spaced “zit – zit – zit – zit – zit – zit”, but in eastern Asia, a ‘double zit’ form “zit zit – zit zit – zit zit” occurs, largely (but not fully) coinciding with the subspecies C. j. malaya, C. j. tinnabulans, C. j. brunniceps, and the Indonesian and Australasian subspecies.^[7] The Indian subspecies C. j. cursitans has singly-spaced “zit” as in the western birds, but with the ‘zit dialect’ more like other eastern birds.^[7]

C. j. salimalii does not show seasonal tail length variation as in C. j. cursitans, which has a longer tail in the non-breeding season.^{[citation needed]}

The zitting cisticola is 10 to 12 cm (3.9 to 4.7 in) in length.^[8] It is brown above, heavily streaked with black markings. The underparts are whitish, and the tail is broad, white-tipped and flicked frequently, giving rise to the alternative name for the species. The adult males have less crown streaking and more back marking than the females, but there are no great differences between the sexes or the eighteen geographical races. The absence of a nuchal collar separates it from the golden-headed cisticola (Cisticola exilis). In the non-breeding season, they tend to skulk within the grass and can be hard to spot.^[9]^[10]

Habitat and distribution

[edit]

This species is found mainly in grassland habitats, often near water. Most populations are resident, but some East Asian populations migrate south to warmer areas in winter. In the Himalayas, they ascend to about 1,900 m (6,200 ft) during summer but are below 1,300 m (4,300 ft) in the winter. This species is a rare vagrant to northern Europe, mostly as a spring overshoot. Its European range is generally expanding, although northern populations are especially susceptible to hard winters.^[11] In 2025 the species bred in Britain for the first time.^[12]

Behaviour and ecology

[edit]

Zitting cisticolas are very small insectivorous birds, sometimes found in small groups. The breeding season is associated with the rains. Two broods a year occur in many regions.^[13] Males are generally polygynous, but some are monogamous.^[14] The male builds the initial nest structure deep in the grasses, and invites females using a special display. Females that accept the male complete the nest. The nest is made by binding living leaves into the soft fabric of felted plant-down, cobwebs, and grass. The zitting cisticola’s nest is a cup shape with a canopy of tied-together leaves or grasses overhead for camouflage; 3–6 eggs are laid. The female incubates the eggs, which hatch after about 10 days. More than one brood may be raised.^[9] Females change their mates frequently and rarely stay within the same territory, while males are less mobile, maintaining non-overlapping song-territories which shift from day to day.^[15]^[16] Females can sometimes breed in their first year.^[17]

^ BirdLife International (2017). “Cisticola juncidis“. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017 e.T22713491A111070621. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22713491A111070621.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^ Rafinesque, Constantine Samuel (1810). Caratteri di alcuni nuovi generi e nuove specie di animali e piante della Sicilia (in Italian). Palermo: Per le stampe di Sanfilippo. p. 6.
^ Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William, eds. (1986). Check-list of Birds of the World. Volume 11. Vol. 11. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. pp. 114–117 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library. – via Internet Archive
^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 109, 212. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
^ “Grassbirds, Donacobius, tetrakas, cisticolas, allies”. IOC World Bird List – Version 15.1. 2025-02-20. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
^ AviList Core Team (2025). “AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025”. doi:10.2173/avilist.v2025. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Martin, Ralph (2023). “Song variation in the Zitting Cisticola”. British Birds. 116 (3): 127–142. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
^ Ryan, P. (2017). del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J.; Christie, D.A.; de Juana, E. (eds.). “Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)”. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
^ ^a ^b Ali, S & Ripley, S D (1997). Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. Volume 8 (2nd ed.). New Delhi: Oxford University Press. pp. 31–35.
^ Rasmussen, Pamela C; Anderton, J C (2005). Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Volume 2. Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions. p. 468.
^ Nemeth, A & Vadasz, C S (2008). “First record of the Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis Rafinesque, 1810) in Hungary” (PDF). Opusc. Zool. Budapest. 37: 89–90. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-08-23. Retrieved 2011-04-24.
^ “Zitting Cisticola Breeds in Britain for the First Time”. Rare Bird Alert UK. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
^ Avery, M L (1982). “Nesting biology, seasonality, and mating system of Malaysian fantail warblers” (PDF). Condor. 84 (1): 106–109. doi:10.2307/1367830. JSTOR 1367830.
^ Ueda, Keisuke (1984). “Successive nest building and polygyny of Fan-tailed Warblers Cisticola juncidis“. Ibis. 126 (2): 221–229. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1984.tb08001.x.
^ Yamagishi, S; Ueda, K (1986). “Simultaneous territory mapping of male fan-tailed warblers (Cisticola juncidis)” (PDF). Journal of Field Ornithology. 57 (3): 193–199.
^ Ueda, K (1986). “A Polygamous Social System of the Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncidis“. Ethology. 73 (1): 43–55. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.1986.tb00998.x.
^ Ueda, K (2008). “Juvenile female breeding of the Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncidis: occurrence of two generations in the year”. Ibis. 127 (1): 111–116. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1985.tb05041.x.

Taxonomy and systematics

Habitat and distribution

Behaviour and ecology

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