Cisticola exilis

Golden-headed Cisticola at Michelago, NSW

Request use of media

Identification history

Cisticola exilis	25 Nov 2017	ChrisDavey
Cisticola exilis	23 Nov 2017	ArcherCallaway
Mirafra javanica	23 Nov 2017	Illilanga

Identify this sighting

Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

User's notes

Private property. No public access without permission. This bird was12-14cm and we thought we could hear two birds. Most of song was during flight, up very high, which made the birds difficult to photograph. At other times the bird(s) were mostly in amongst very tall grass along the railway line. We have audio of the song.

4 comments

ArcherCallaway wrote:

24 Nov 2017

The wing-pattern on that first photo looks quite cisticola-y to me. I'm not familiar with Bushlarks though, and the flight-singing displays are not a cisticola characteristic. Chris may be able to make something of the audio. Could you crop the first image, and is it possible that the bird you photographed perched is a different bird to the one that was doing the flight-calls or are you certain it's the same bird

Illilanga wrote:

24 Nov 2017

Great pick up Ryu. The audio on my bird apps for the Cisticola do sound exactly like the audio we recorded. It is next to wetland area so that makes sense too. Not a bird I have seen or heard before in our area so I was stumped. :)

Illilanga wrote:

24 Nov 2017

I'll have another go at taking photos now that I know what I am looking for. There may be two species here as you suggest Ryu.

Illilanga wrote:

25 Nov 2017

Chris has confirmed that the audio is of a Golden-headed Cisticola.

Please Login or Register to comment.