Cisticolas are a genus of very small insectivorous birds formerly classified in the Old World warbler family Sylviidae, but now usually considered to be in the separate family Cisticolidae, along with other southern warbler genera. They are believed to be quite closely related to the swallows and martins, the bulbuls and the white-eyes. The genus contains about 50 species, of which only two are not found in Africa: one in Madagascar and the other from Asia to Australasia. They are also sometimes called fantail-warblers due to their habit of conspicuously flicking their tails, or tailor-birds because of their nests.
The grey-backed cisticola or red-headed cisticola is a small passerine bird. This cisticola is a resident breeder in southernmost Angola, Namibia and western South Africa.
Levaillant's cisticola, also known as the tinkling cisticola, is a small passerine bird which is native to marshlands in the uplands of Africa, southwards of the equator.
The lazy cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
The chattering cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and swamps.
The desert cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is present throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa, although relatively absent from central and coastal western areas of the continent.
The wing-snapping cisticola, also known as Ayres' cisticola, is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. Its scientific name honours South African ornithologist Thomas Ayres.
The bubbling cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
The singing cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
Dorst's cisticola, also known as the plaintive cisticola, is a bird in the family Cisticolidae. It occurs in West Africa and south of Lake Chad.
The red-faced cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is widely present across sub-Saharan Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland and swamps.
The winding cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It has a scattered distribution across Africa south of the Sahara, and north of 11°S.
Hunter's cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are tropical moist montane and high-elevation shrubland. It is a dueting species.
The wailing cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.
The tiny cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
The chirping cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland and swamps.
The stout cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are boreal forest, moist savanna, and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.
The tinkling cisticola or grey cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It's natural habitat is dry savannah.
The red-naped bushshrike or red-naped boubou is a species of bird in the family Malaconotidae, which is native to the dry lowlands of the eastern Afrotropics.
The rufous-capped babbler is a babbler species in the family Timaliidae. It occurs from the Eastern Himalayas to northern Thailand, Laos, eastern China to Vietnam and Taiwan. It inhabits temperate forest with dense bushes or bamboo and is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
