French: Cisticole des Borans German: Boranzistensänger Spanish: Cistícola borana
Cisticola subruficapilla bodessa
Bodessa, southern Ethiopia.
Two subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution
C. b. bodessa
Mearns, 1913 – N Eritrea, SE South Sudan, S Ethiopia and Kenya.
C. b. kaffensis
Érard, 1974 – Gibe Valley, in C Ethiopia.
13–14 cm; male 21 g, female 14 g. A medium-large, streak-backed cisticola with fairly long graduated tail. Male nominate race has lores whitish, extending slightly... read more
Male song, from elevated perch, often atop a tall tree, a rapid series of notes lasting 1·5–2... read more
Confined to Somali-Masai biome; occurs on rocky hillsides with sparse grassland and shrubs, grassy... read more
Food and feeding
Diet mainly insects. Forages 1–3 m up in vegetation.
Season Apr–Jun, possibly also Sept–Nov. Probably monogamous; solitary, territorial. Male sings from a high perch, usually 3... read more
Little known; presumably mostly resident.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened. Locally fairly common; status difficult to assess in many areas owing to widespread confusion with C. chiniana. Occurs in Nechisar National... read more
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