Photo: Ron Knight / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-pate Cisticola
Cisticola ruficeps
Red-pate Cisticola (Cisticola ruficeps) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-pate Cisticola (Cisticola ruficeps) is a member of the Cisticolidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 9.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Cisticolidae Cisticolas & Allies
- Genus Cisticola
- Species ruficeps
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cisticolidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-pate Cisticola is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Red-pate Cisticola is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-pate Cisticola (Cisticola ruficeps) is a member of the Cisticolidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF e, c, w.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9.7 g, with a wing length of about 5.3 cm and a tail of around 3.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-pate Cisticola?
The Red-pate Cisticola is a very small bird that weighs around 9.7 g.
Where does the Red-pate Cisticola live?
The Red-pate Cisticola is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, c, w, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Red-pate Cisticola belong to?
The Red-pate Cisticola (Cisticola ruficeps) belongs to the Cisticolidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-pate Cisticola eat?
The Red-pate Cisticola is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-pate Cisticola migrate?
The Red-pate Cisticola is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-pate Cisticola endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Red-pate Cisticola make?
1 real field recording of the Red-pate Cisticola — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-pate Cisticola's range?
The Red-pate Cisticola has a mapped global range of about 1.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Cisticolidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.