Neddicky

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Cisticola fulvicapilla

The Neddicky is a common and conspicuous member of the Cisticola-family, usually being seen singly, in pairs or small family groups (the latter at the end of the breeding season), with the male especially often singing from a prominent perch. It is a bird of moist heathland, savanna and open woodland habitats, though they have adapted to exotic plantations and suburban gardens. It feeds on insects, searching on and close to the ground for its prey.

Neddickys nest in spring and summer. The female builds the ball-shaped nest all by herself, using dry grass, spider-web and down to complete the job. The nest is usually well-hidden low in a bush or grass tussock. Incubating the clutch of 2-5 eggs takes about two weeks, with the chicks leaving the nest about the same length of time after hatching. Like other members of the family, Neddickys are small birds, weighing only 9g and measuring around 11cm in length when fully grown.

The Neddicky occurs almost throughout South Africa, avoiding only the dry Karoo and Kalahari in the west of our country. Beyond our borders it is found as far north as Gabon in the west and Tanzania in the east. The IUCN considers the species to be of least concern.

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18 thoughts on “Neddicky”

    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      The further south you see them the more clearly those grey underparts are to see, making it easier to identify them. Up here in the North though, and especially in the Lowveld, I still have considerable difficulty!

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