birds free wallpaper 99: Golden-Headed Cisticola

Tuesday, 12 June 2012

Golden-Headed Cisticola

Golden-Headed Cisticola Biography
The diminutive Golden-headed Cisticola usually inhabits areas of long, dense grass, where they often remain hidden, but their presence may be betrayed by their buzzing and whistling calls. Once this call is heard, it is often not too difficult to see the bird perched atop a stalk of grass. During the breeding season these tiny birds can sometimes be seen performing display flights, high above the grassland, consisting of a jerking, bouncy flight accompanied by a wheezing song, before diving back down into the long grass.

In breeding season, the male Golden-headed Cisticola has a golden-orange head, which is crested when calling, with a paler chin and throat, and a boldly streaked black to dark grey and golden body. The tail is black, with paler tips, and is shorter during breeding season. Females resemble non-breeding males, with buff-brown upper parts, heavily streaked black and dark brown, with a golden-buff rump and nape of neck. The underparts are cream with buff tints, the wings are black, with each feather edged buff. Young birds resemble the female but are duller.

The related Zitting Cisticola, C. juncidis, resembles the Golden-headed Cisticola in size and shape, but lacks the rich golden colouring on the head and rump, tending to be paler underneath, and more heavily streaked on top. The Little Grassbird, Megalurus gramineus, is slightly larger, lacks the golden colouring, has streaked underparts and a longer tail.

The Golden-headed Cisticola occurs from Carnarvon in Western Australia, north-east to Darwin, Cape York and down the east coast as far as King Island and Adelaide. It is also found from India and southern China to the Bismarck Archipelago.

The Golden-headed Cisticola lives in sub-coastal areas, wetlands, swamp margins, wet grasslands, rivers, and irrigated farmland. It prefers tangled vegetation close to the ground, but breeding males may be seen singing from tall weeds or other shrubs.

Golden-headed Cisticolas feed quietly and inconspicuously on insects taken from the ground amongst tall grasses. They also feed on the seeds from the grasses among which they live.

The Golden-headed Cisticola builds a rounded nest with a side entrance near the top, from fine grasses, plant down and spiders' web. Leaves are usually stitched to the outer surface and the nest is lined with soft plant down. Both the male and female help in nest-building although the female incubates the eggs on her own.

Golden-Headed Cisticola