Jungle prinia

Jungle prinia
File:Jungle Prinia (Prinia sylvatica) in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 1329.jpg
in Hyderabad, India.
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Cisticolidae
Genus:	Prinia
Species:	P. sylvatica
Binomial name
Prinia sylvatica (Jerdon, 1840)

File:Jungle Prinia (Prinia sylvatica) in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 1327.jpg

In Hyderabad, India

The jungle prinia (Prinia sylvatica) is a small passerine bird, a warbler in the Cisticola family.

File:PriniaSylvaticaSmit.jpg

Adult birds, shown in breeding (above), and winter (below), plumage

File:PriniaSylvaticaImmSmit.jpg

Immature birds, shown before (below), and after (above), their first moult

Distribution and habitat

The prinia is a resident breeder in the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka, typically found in dry open grassland, open woodland, scrub and sometimes gardens.

Description

These 15 cm (6 in) 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 warmer brown rump. There are rufous fringes on the closed wings and white edged to the tail. Underparts are whitish-buff. The sexes are identical except that the male has a blacker bill and mouth in the breeding season.

In winter, the upperparts are a warmer brown, and the underparts more buff. The tail is longer than in summer. There are a four races differing in plumage shade. The distinctive endemic race in Sri Lanka, P. s.valida, retains summer plumage, including the shorter tail, all year round, and lacks the supercilium and white in the tail.

Behaviour

Like most warblers, the prinia is insectivorous. It builds its nest in a shrub or tall grass and lays 3-5 eggs. The song is a repetitive pit-pretty, pit-pretty, pit-pretty.

References

• 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

Gallery

• Jungle Prinia (Prinia sylvatica) in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 1328.jpg

  in Hyderabad, India.