Photo: Morhaf kamal aljanee / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Zitting Cisticola
Cisticola juncidis
Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 13 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) is a member of the Cisticolidae family found in Africa, Australia & Oceania and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 6.8 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 juncidis
Where it lives
Southwestern Europe, Africa through southern Asia to eastern China, Japan, Philippines, Wallacea and northern, eastern Australia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6.8 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 Zitting Cisticola is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Zitting Cisticola is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) is a member of the Cisticolidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa, Australia & Oceania and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF, OR, AU sw Europe, Africa through s Asia to e China, Japan, Philippines, Wallacea and n, e Australia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6.8 g, with a wing length of about 4.9 cm and a tail of around 4 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 18.9 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Zitting Cisticola?
The Zitting Cisticola is a very small bird that weighs around 6.8 g.
Where does the Zitting Cisticola live?
The Zitting Cisticola is found across Africa, Australia & Oceania and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF, OR, AU sw Europe, Africa through s Asia to e China, Japan, Philippines, Wallacea and n, e Australia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Zitting Cisticola belong to?
The Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) belongs to the Cisticolidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Zitting Cisticola eat?
The Zitting Cisticola is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Zitting Cisticola migrate?
The Zitting Cisticola is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Zitting 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 Zitting Cisticola make?
1 real field recording of the Zitting Cisticola — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Zitting Cisticola's range?
The Zitting Cisticola has a mapped global range of about 18.9 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
Vulnerable
More in Songbirds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.