Golden-headed Cisticola

A chance encounter with a Golden-headed Cisticola at McNeilly Park Wetlands in Drouin recently was a bit of a surprise as this bird is often described as inconspicuous and rarely seen during winter.

Non-breeding plumage

In spring and summer, breeding males perform a song flight (audio LINK) from the reed beds, then drop suddenly back down into cover.

During winter, non-breeding males and females look very similar but when breeding commences, the male develops a rich golden head and neck.

Spring and summer male plumage

The Golden-headed Cisticola occupies reed beds beside swamps and wetlands, sewerage farms, etc and is widely spread around northern and eastern Australia. They are surprisingly common, sedentary with perhaps some local nomadism. Cisticolas feed on insects and some seeds taken from mostly on the ground at the base of the reeds.

Diminutive, agile, sometimes curious of intruders but mostly secretive

Sometimes known as the Tailorbird, male and female Golden-headed Cisticolas work cooperatively to ‘stitch’ their nest of fine grasses and spider web into several fronds of a patch of reeds.

Cisticola habitat at McNeilly Park wetlands in Drouin

In our corner of the planet, you might get a glimpse of a cisticola, (sis-ti-cola or sis-tick-erla) at any of our wetlands in Drouin – McNeilly Park, Bellbird Park, Crystal Waters, Alex Goudie, etc. During our bird surveys last year, one was seen in ‘Froggy Hollow’ in Civic Park in the middle of urban Drouin.