Hunter's Cisticola

Cisticola hunteri

Other Names

    Cisticole de Hunter   Gebirgscistensänger         Cisticola di Hunter

World: Kenya and northern Tanzania.

Kenya: Highlands of western and central Kenya.

Mostly found above 2400m in a variety of habitats including overgrown gardens, shrubbery, bamboo and giant heath where it's quite common. Described as "shy except when courting", they must have been courting in August since they were definitely common and not particularly shy around the met. station on Mt. Kenya, standing on the tops of bushes and singing away. (Alternatively they were just feeling sorry for a couple of soggy looking birders standing around in the rain and decided to be cooperative.) Outside the courting season they're likely to be heard and not seen calling from cover.