Animalia Life

Cettia cetti
SUBFAMILY
Sylviinae
TAXONOMY
Cettia cetti Temminck, 1820.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Bouscarle de Cetti; German: Seidensдnger; Spanish: Ruiseсor Bastardo de Cetti.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
5.3–5.7 in (13.5–14.5 cm); 0.4–0.6 oz (10–18g) (males), 0.3–0.6 oz (8–16g) (females). Medium-sized, plump warbler with long, graduated, rounded tail with 10 rectrices; short, rounded wings; and a delicate, dark bill. Strongly sexually dimorphic, as measured by wing length and mass. Upperparts dull chestnut to rufous, throat white, breast grayish, and belly and flanks buffy. Characteristic thin, whitish supercilium and eye ring.
DISTRIBUTION

DISTRIBUTION
across Eurasia. In summer, north into Caucasus region of Russia and Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakstan. Winters along the Indus River in Pakistan. Eastern race (albiventris) migrates to south to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
HABITAT
Lowlands, usually near water, in dense thickets and reedbeds.
BEHAVIOR
Skulking. Male territorial song is an explosive series of clear tones. A softer variant is used during courtship. Male song pattern is unique allowing individual recognition. Males aggressively territorial, defending with song, wing-waving display and fighting. In sedentary populations, territories defended all year.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Forages on or near the ground for insects (especially aquatic invertebrates), spiders, harvestmen, snails, earthworms, and some seeds.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Often serially polygynous. Male may mate with the same 1–4 females for several successive years. Nest is loose cup of stems and leaves, placed low among tangled vegetation. The nest of each female is placed in her ‘range’ within the male territory. The 4–5 eggs are incubated by the female. Fledging occurs at 14–16 days, young remain dependent for additional 15 or more days.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.

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