About Cisticola cherina (A.Smith, 1843)
Madagascar cisticola (scientific name Cisticola cherina (A.Smith, 1843)) is a small species of cisticola. Adults measure 11 cm in length and weigh 8 to 11 grams. Their backs, wings, and heads are overall brownish with streaks, while their undersides are pale. Two distinct colour variants exist: one that is more brownish, and a second that is paler grey. The species' call is described as loud, explosive ticking. This cisticola is found across all of Madagascar, as well as on the Seychelles islands of Astove and Cosmoledo. Individuals in the Seychelles are suspected to be recent arrivals to the area, despite the existence of some early records of the species there. It lives in a wide variety of open habitats, including savannah, grasslands, marshes, pastures, scrublands, forest edges, and forest clearings. It also occurs in a range of human-modified habitats, including paddy fields and croplands. This species is sedentary.
