Relatively colorful, mid-sized, long-tailed cisticola. Note the gray-brown back with thick black streaks, rufous on the wing and cap, and whitish underparts. Found mainly in papyrus swamp and locally in other wetland habitats. Song is a quick, aggressive series of several “chyap” notes. Very similar to Winding Cisticola, and best separated by song; Carruther’s also has a less reddish panel in the wing and a mostly dark tail.