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SPECIES PROFILE
Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)
Cisticola
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Indian subcontinent Europe Africa
DIET
Insectivorous
HABITAT
Grasslands marshes scrub
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Passeriformes
FAMILY
Cisticolidae
GENUS
Cisticola
📋 Description
SIZE
10-12 cm long 8-12 g
COLORATION
Brown with streaked upperparts pale underparts short tail
ADAPTATIONS
Agile hopping produces wing-snapping sound in flight
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Grasslands marshes scrub
DIET
Insectivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Indian subcontinent Europe Africa
REPRODUCTION
Lays 4-6 eggs in grass nests incubated 11-13 days
DIET DETAILS
Insects small invertebrates
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Pesticide use habitat loss
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Sky Dancers: Zitting Cisticolas flit with 10-gram bodies eating 4 grams of insects daily in Haryana's grasslands. Their wing-snaps are distinctive.
2
Grassland Singers: These cisticolas cover 2000 sq km in Gujarat's fields nesting in grass tufts. Agricultural intensification threatens their prey.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Sultanpur National Park in Haryana
Jamnagar in Gujarat
Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary in Maharashtra
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
Year-round Grasslands ensure visibility for spotting cisticolas
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Listen for zitting cisticolas' zipping calls during flight displays
