Grey-crowned Prinia

Grey-crowned Prinia   Prinia cinereocapilla

Etymology:

• Prinia : Javanese name Prinya for the Prinia
• Cinereocapilla: Latin word cinereus ashcoloured ;  capillus -headed

Distribution in India: Himalayan Foothills and Assam

Description:  Size of 11 cm; wt. of 6–8·5 g. It is a small, neatly proportioned and relatively short-tailed Prinia with small and slim bill. In non-breeding plumage it has rufous forehead merging with ashy-grey crown and extending as narrow rufous supercilium back over eye, where it pales and diffuses behind eye, dark eyestripe that is darkest on lores. The grey of crown and nape suffuses into reddish-brown on mantle to uppertail-coverts, wings are similarly rufous-brown with darker brown feather centers. The tail is grey-brown with rufous fringes, each feather with dusky sub-terminal bar and rufous-buff tip. The ear-coverts is dark grey, paling on lower cheek; throat and underparts are buff, becoming richer buff on flanks and undertail-coverts. The iris is orange-brown; bill is black; legs are yellowish-flesh to yellowish-brown. In breeding plumage the overall coloration is a little duller, rufous on head disappears, and rusty tail tips either abrade or become very pale. The eyes are often pale yellowish. Both the sexes are similar.

Habitat: It is found in edges of sal and mixed forests. It is also found in secondary growth around forest clearings, ridges of low hills and edges of plains. It is found up to 1600 m.

Food Habits:  It eats insects. It is more arboreal than other Prinia, foraging quite high in small trees, but also descends to feed near ground in stands of grasses. It is often associates with mixed parties of other small birds, such as various babblers and Grey-breasted Prinia

 Breeding Habits: They breed in Apr-July.