About Cisticola subruficapilla (A.Smith, 1843)
The grey-backed cisticola, scientifically named Cisticola subruficapilla (A.Smith, 1843), is a small, dull-coloured, vocal bird that measures 13–14 cm in length. It has a dark rufous crown on its reddish head, a rufous panel in its folded wing, a short straight grey bill, pinkish-brown feet and legs, and a light brown eye. The southern nominal form of this species, found in southern Namibia and South Africa, has a grey back heavily streaked with black and greyish white underparts. While many cisticola species look very similar in plumage, this greyish subspecies is quite distinctive. The northern subspecies has a brown back heavily streaked with black and cold buff underparts. It is very similar to the wailing cisticola, Cisticola lais, found in eastern South Africa, but the wailing cisticola has warmer buff underparts and their ranges do not overlap. The sexes of the grey-backed cisticola are similar in appearance, but juvenile birds are duller and have a yellow face. The call of the grey-backed cisticola is a soft prrrrt followed by a sharp wheee phweee.
