Grey-backed Cisticola (Cisticola subruficapilla)

Other Scientific Names
Cisticola subruficapillus [Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993)], Cisticola subruficapillus [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)]

Other Names (World)
Grey-backed Cisticola, Gray-backed Cisticola, Red-headed Cisticola

Family
Cisticolidae (Cisticolas And Allies)

Size
12 - 13 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Smith, 1843)

Habitat
Subtropical and tropical lowland dry shrubland.

Range (Guide)

Angola (B), Namibia, South Africa.

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
Muffled 'tr-r-rrrrrt' and loud plaintive 'hu-weeee', deeper than Wailing Cisticola (Cisticola lais), given from a perch or in the air. A harsher 'chee-chee', call.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (32)...)

Grey-backed Cisticola (Cisticola subruficapilla) [XC392401]
by Peter Boesman from Den Berg, Clanwilliam, Western Cape, South Africa (song)

Grey-backed Cisticola (Cisticola subruficapilla) [XC392405]
by Hans Matheve from South of Swellendam, Western Cape, South Africa (call)

Subspecies
Angolan and northern Namibian population is disjunct from the main population of southern Namibia and South Africa. May represent a separate species.

Proposed subspecies euroa (from Free State, in South Africa) synonymized with jamesi.

The following 6 subspecies are recognised:

newtoni da Rosa Pinto, 1967 - Extreme south-western Angola (Namibe) and north-western Namibia.
windhoekensis (Roberts, 1937) - North-central Namibia.
karasensis (Roberts, 1937) - Southern Namibia south to South Africa (interior of northern Cape).
namaqua Lynes, 1930 - Succulent Karoo region of northern Cape, in South Africa.
subruficapilla (Smith, 1843) - Western Cape (South Africa).
jamesi Lynes, 1930 - Eastern Cape (South Africa).

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Grey-backed Cisticola (Cisticola subruficapilla) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

For more information about the Grey-backed Cisticola see... Show Articles

BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Articles about the Grey-backed Cisticola

If you would like to read any articles about the Grey-backed Cisticola...

Show Articles (0)

No Pictures of Grey-backed Cisticola

If Birdpedia has no pictures of Grey-backed Cisticola or you would like to see more, then try the following...

Show External Images from BING

From BING (8)

No Videos of Grey-backed Cisticola

If Birdpedia has no videos of Grey-backed Cisticola or you would like to see more, then try the following..

Show External Videos

From BING (0)