#cisticola

*RIDICULOUS BIRD NAME ALERT!!!*

Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis), family Cisticolidae, family Passeriformes, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

this is the black-collared apalis. its common name is a holdover from when it was considered a member of genus Apalis - it was later found to not be part of the group, despite their striking visual similarities.

interestingly, its range consists of a handful of entirely independant populations, some being across an entire continent from each other! they dwell in the damper western portion of Kenya, the highland forests of northwest Cameroon, the far southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in three small areas along the northern, eastern, and western borders of Uganda. not quite sure how they managed such a dramatic level of separation. best guess is that these territories were formerly connected by more suitable habitat, which has since faded and left them stranded?

these critters prefer high-elevation forests, often hence ending up near bodies of water. they tend to stick to the understory or forest edge. social little birds, typically in the company of a few same-species buddies or a mixed-species foraging flock, if not both. while foraging together, they call out to each other with repeated noises which range in tone from "dog-toy squeaker" to "oven alarm". i assume they follow their family's habits of insectivory; however, as to the pattern of being a favorite target of brood parasites, I'm a bit less certain.

Black-backed Cisticola Cisticola eximius

A passerine bird found across central Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland and subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland.

Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis), family Cisticolidae, order Passeriformes, West Bengal, India

& despite "mid-winter" already being upon us, some of the garden birds continue to re-establish & defend territories.

pretty sure the knysna loeries are now building their nest (their breeding season technically starts about now), with how much more they are vocalising, & coming out to respond when i call them.

also have seen/heard southern boubou & sombre greenbul pairs being very interested in a certain tree & squabbling over it.

all the sunbird species (usually winter breeders in the western cape) continue to go nuts screaming & chasing each other all over the garden.

(cape) bulbul season seems to have been very short this year, though there are still some stragglers, & after the (cape) batis nest failed a second time, they haven't really been around much, but they did pop in yesterday.

the african fish eagles are regularly back on the dam, sans their annoying baby, seems they successfully dropped it off into the nomadic juvenile/subadult/nonbreeding floater "creche." such a joy to have an iconic species around nearly every day, & hear their unmistakable call on the regular.