Growth and development of Croaking Cisticola <i>Cisticola natalensis</i> nestlings

Abstract

The unusually large size and the characteristic call of the Croaking Cisticola Cisticola natalensis arguably make it one of the more distinctive species in the family. As with many other cisticolas, its biology is poorly known and mainly based on anecdotal observations. This paper describes the growth and development of Croaking Cisticola nestlings at a single nest. Knowledge of nestling development is important for future studies where nestling age estimates are required (e.g. daily survival estimates) and provides valuable insight into the overall adaptive nesting strategies of birds