New breeding evidence of Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis in South Tyrol after 1970/1980s

Cisticola juncidis was considered extinct in Trentino-South Tyrol since 1980, but recent records indicate that the species is recolonizing the region. Initial detections were made during standardized monitoring programs conducted by local research institutes, followed by additional observations reported through citizen science platforms. Confirmed reproduction over two consecutive years suggests a potential expansion of the species within the region. Most observations occurred inside protected areas where open habitats are maintained through extensive management practices. These findings underline the importance of protected areas providing crucial habitats in an intensively managed agricultural landscape and highlight the effectiveness of combining citizen science data with standardized monitoring for tracking species distribution shifts and detecting new occurrences or for tracking restricted populations