The Tinkling Cisticola lives in scrub and open woodland in south-central Africa. Its orange-rufous tail and call help distinguish it from the Rattling Cisticola.
Its tail is orange-rufous. The account identifies this color and the bird's call as ways to distinguish it from the Rattling Cisticola.
It is secretive and occurs alone, in pairs, or in family groups. It uses scrub and open woodland and is described as sedentary.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.