Hi everyone. No idea what this little bird is - located in Victoria Point, Qld. Photos taken mid April. Could be a Tawny Grassbird but it's calls seemed to be different to those I had identified earlier in the year. Any help gratefully appreciated. Thanks, Chris.
His Chris, I think it is a Golden Headed Cisticola. It looks like one (albeit a bit disheveled), and the behaviour seems accurate- they frequently sit on thin sticks, branches and stems were the can get a clear view of the surrounds and call. But, I could be wrong; I'm not an expert by any means.
It looks like a Clamorous Reed-warbler to me.
(But as I always say, I could be wrong and it might be a Golden-headed Cisticola
? But I think it's a Reed -warbler)
M-L
Lachlan beat me to it
Cisticola was what I first thought, but it looks larger, that's what changed my mind.
M-L
looks good for a Golden-headed Cisticola, the colour is very clear and for Lachlan's quoted behaviour, check the 2 pics below
Peter
Thanks everyone - I was secretly hoping it was a Cisticola
Cheers, Chris
How to ID a cisticola:
Is it cheeping angrily at something?
If yes, then it is a cisticola.
They seem to vary in colour, the one I took looks a bit darker?
I'm very happy for you Chris, so now you have taken some nice photos of a Golden-headed Cisticola. They are very hard to find and easier to hear
M-L
And just to show the difference, here is a Clamorous Reed-warbler, taken in a Park near me.
M-L
Thanks M-L. There are so many little birds here at different times, it's a bit hard to recognise them. Just the other day I saw a pair of small birds with bright olive green backs, and a paler green chest and underpants - I was quite close to them but no camera
They were squabbling in a bush about two metres away and I did get a good look, but so far I haven't seen anything in my various searches that even comes close to the colours. In size and shape they were very much like your Reed Warbler, so that gives me another avenue to explore. Cheers, Chris.
Here is another little Cisticola taken yesterday (12th August 2013) - this one is a lot darker like yours M-L. These photos of mine have been taken four months apart, I wonder if this is the same bird? Or perhaps the first one above is the female and this one is a male? Chris.
sorry for being too brief, my pic 1 is a male in breeding plumage or colour and pic 2 is a female or non-breeding male
Peter