A resident bird of Cyprus and the Akamas. It is a common and widespread species in coastal areas and in low-altitude areas, reaching the semi-mountainous areas in some places.

It mainly prefers open areas with tall grass, while it’s very common in agricultural areas with cereal crops and in uncultivated areas with grass and few trees. Very often it flies relatively high, in undulating flight, where its characteristic song, a monotonous, intermittently repeated (of a single) “jip-jip-jip-jip” can be heard in the air but is usually not easily visible.

It is also observed moving through tall grass, in which it breeds. It is one of the smallest species of the Sylvidae family, with strongly striped upperparts and head, less on the tail and with lighter whitish-beige underparts. Its bill and legs are pale (pinkish).