These occur from Carnarvon in Western Australia, northeast to Darwin, Cape York and down the east coast as far as King Island and Adelaide. It is also found from India and southern China to the Bismarck Archipelago. They are very similar to the related Zitting Cisticola, in size and shape, but are a richer golden colouring on the head and rump.
Their habitats are sub-coastal areas, wetlands, swamp margins, wet grasslands, rivers, and irrigated farmland. They prefer tangled vegetation close to the ground, but breeding males may be seen singing from tall weeds or other shrubs.
They feed quietly and inconspicuously on insects taken from the ground amongst tall grasses and on seeds from the grasses among which they live.
The photo is of a non-breeding Cisticola, when breeding the male has a golden-orange head, which is crested when calling. The nest is rounded with a side entrance near the top and made from fine grasses, plant down and spiders' web. Leaves are usually stitched to the outer surface and the nest is lined with soft plant down, both the male and female help in nest building, although the female incubates the eggs on her own.