Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler Bradypterus cinnamomeus Scientific name definitions

14–15 cm; 15–22 g. A richly coloured warbler with long pale super­cilium, and longish well-graduated tail of ten or twelve rather broad feathers. Nominate race has top and side of head dark olive-brown, prominent buff supercilium ; upperparts and upperwing cinnamon-brown, more rufous on rump and tail; throat and belly whitish, contrasting cinnamon-brown breastband, flanks and undertail-coverts; iris hazel; bill dark brown; legs light brown. Sexes alike. Juvenile is browner above, tinged yellow below, with diffuse throat streaks, less distinct breastband. Race cavei is darker than nominate, more russet on rump, with broader breastband; mildbreadi is richer-coloured, more rufous-brown above; nyassae is duller, more tawny-brown, with paler, less distinct breastband.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Dense undergrowth of forest edges and clearings, brushy bamboo, montane forest with broken canopy, bushy roadsides , tall thick grass, marsh edges, montane scrub and bracken-briar. Mainly above 1800 m, and to over 3300 m in Kenya; as low as 1300 m in Malawi.

Sedentary.

Small insects; beetles (Coleoptera), ants (Hymennoptetra) and caterpillars recorded. Forages with mouse-like movements among ground cover, usually singly or in pairs.

Song a short phrase (c. 2–5 seconds) with several introductory notes leading into a ringing trill, “chew chee chiriririririri” or “cheew chewichewichewichewi”, repeated after short intervals. A second bird often answers with high-pitched notes in asynchronous duet. Calls low scolding “trrr” and high “schreep”.

Laying in May and Oct in Ethiopia , May in Sudan, Aug–Feb in C Kenya and N Tanzania, Feb–Jun in E DRCongo and Nov–Feb in Malawi; apparently a dry-weather breeder in E Africa. Monogamous; solitary, territorial. Nest a deep, bulky cup of dry grasses and leaves, covered with plant down and feathers, lined with fine grasses and down, built close to ground in grass tuft or tangled vegetation. Clutch 2–3 eggs; no information on incubation and nestling periods.

Not globally threatened. Common in most highland areas within its range. No imminent threats, as not dependent on pristine forest; frequents edge habitats, secondary growth and semi-open areas, rather than undisturbed forest.