Rufous-winged Cisticola Cisticola galactotes Scientific name definitions

12–14 cm; male 13–16 g, female 12–15 g. A medium-sized cisticola with boldly striped back, brightly patterned plumage and fairly long graduated tail. Nominate race breeding has creamy face, ear-coverts washed rufous, bright rufous crown; upperparts grey, boldly striped blackish on mantle and back, rump plain, uppertail-­coverts lightly streaked; flight-feathers and greater upperwing-coverts dark brown with rufous margins ­(forming reddish wingpanel), remaining wing-coverts dark brown, broadly ­margin­ed grey; tail grey-brown with darker subter­minal band and pale buffy-grey tips, pattern less distinct on central pair of feathers; creamy below, paler on throat and central belly, washed buff on flanks and vent; iris reddish-brown; bill and mouth black, base of lower mandible pinkish-grey; legs dull pink. In non-breeding plumage is more rufous above and more buffy below, tail longer. Distinguished from C. tinniens in breeding plumage by greyer rump, shorter tail appearing grey (not brown), in non-breeding plumage by duller, less streaked crown and plainer rump. Sexes similar, female somewhat smaller than male. Juvenile is similar to non-breeding adult, but has crown streaked dark brown, face and underparts washed lemon-yellow. Race isodactylus is slightly smaller than nominate, and duller in non-breeding plumage.

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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.

Diet insects and small invertebrates, including grasshoppers and crickets (Orthoptera), small beetles (Coleoptera), caterpillars (Lepidoptera) and worms (Annelida); also seeds. Forages low in undergrowth, at bases of reeds, and on ground.

Typical song a slightly buzzy  “tzeet” or “trrt trrrt”, repeated monotonously from perch or in aerial display; also a musical, ascending “phweeep”.