Photo: Tom Field / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-tailed Cisticola
Cisticola anderseni
White-tailed Cisticola (Cisticola anderseni) — 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 White-tailed Cisticola (Cisticola anderseni) is a member of the Cisticolidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 13.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Cisticolidae Cisticolas & Allies
- Genus Cisticola
- Species anderseni
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cisticolidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Critically Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-tailed Cisticola is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The White-tailed Cisticola is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-tailed Cisticola (Cisticola anderseni) belongs to the Cisticolidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF c Tanzania (Kilombero floodplain).
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.1 g, with a wing length of about 5.5 cm and a tail of around 4.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-tailed Cisticola?
The White-tailed Cisticola is a very small bird that weighs around 13.1 g.
Where does the White-tailed Cisticola live?
The White-tailed Cisticola is found across Africa with a range covering AF c Tanzania (Kilombero floodplain), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the White-tailed Cisticola belong to?
The White-tailed Cisticola (Cisticola anderseni) belongs to the Cisticolidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-tailed Cisticola eat?
The White-tailed Cisticola is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-tailed Cisticola migrate?
The White-tailed Cisticola is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-tailed Cisticola endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
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
Endangered
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
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.