Plain Prinia
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| Prinia inornata Sykes, 1832 |
The Plain Prinia, Prinia inornata, is a small warbler. This prinia is a resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara and Asia from Pakistan and India to south China and southeast Asia.
The African form, P. p. subflava is often considered a separate species, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Prinia subflava (Gmelin, 1789).
This skulking passerine bird is typically found in wet lowland grassland, open woodland, scrub and sometimes gardens. The Plain Prinia builds its nest in a shrub or tall grass and lays 3-6 eggs. The Tawny-flanked Prinia nests in herbage and lays 2-4 eggs.
These 13-14 cm long warblers have short rounded wings, a longish tail, strong legs and a short black bill. In breeding plumage, adults are grey-brown above, with a short white supercilium and rufous fringes on the closed wings. Underparts are whitish-buff. The sexes are identical.
In winter, the upperparts are a warmer brown, and the underparts more buff. The tail is longer than in summer. There are a number of races differing in plumage shade. The endemic race in Sri Lanka retains summer plumage, including the shorter tail, all year round.
Like most warblers, the Plain Prinia is insectivorous. The song is a repetitive tlee-tlee-tlee.
Reference
- Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa by Baker, ISBN 0-7136-3971-7
- Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6
- Birds of The Gambia by Barlow, Wacher and Disley, ISBN 1-873403-32-1