Plain Prinia
Prinia inornata
A common prinia with drab gray-brown plumage that varies in tone across its range. Note the pale, wide eyebrow and the long tail that appears as if it is loosely attached to the body. Breeding birds have a black bill and a shorter tail. Common in various habitats, especially farms and wetlands, but avoids woodlands with a canopy. A somewhat bold species, it often skulks in the undergrowth but sings from exposed perches. The song is a repeated series of insectlike trills. Calls include various buzzing and clinking notes. Also produces snapping sounds with its wings.
Identification
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. The underparts are whitish-buff. The sexes are identical.<p>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.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Prinia inornata
- Authority
- Sykes, 1832
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Cisticolidae
- Genus
- Prinia
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Vertical migration
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Pine Warbler
Setophaga pinus
A medium-sized, rather robust and long-tailed warbler, with a noticeably stout bill. Variable plumage, from bright adult males with extensive yellow throat to extremely dull grayish-brown immature females. Always look for two white wingbars, diffuse streaking on the sides of the breast, large bill, and long narrow tail with a shallow notch. Well-named: almost always found in pine trees throughout the year. In spring and summer, listen for loud musical trill (compare with Chipping Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco). Occasionally visits feeders, especially for suet. A short-distance migrant, wintering entirely in the United States.
Little Bee-eater
Merops pusillus
A small, mostly grass-green bee-eater with a canary-yellow throat separated from buff underparts by a black line across the throat. Singles and pairs occupy grassy savanna and wetland edges. They often perch lower than 1.5 m above the ground, and dart around hunting flying insects, then returning to the same small twig. Calls include a sibilant “s-lip” and other high-pitched notes. The Blue-breasted Bee-eater is slightly larger and has a white patch on the cheek. The much larger Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater has burnt orange underparts, and it prefers highland forest above 1800 m.
Gray Butcherbird
Cracticus torquatus
Medium-sized ambush-hunter with a long gray bill with a dark, hooked tip. Black head and face with a white nape and throat. Upperparts dark gray, with white rump, mostly black wings (limited white), and black tail with narrow white tip. Rollicking, chuckling song.
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