Himalayan Prinia Prinia crinigera Scientific name definitions

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A large (16 cm, 14–17 g), strong-billed drab prinia with long, strongly graduated, pointed tail; distinct non-breeding and breeding plumages, the latter created primarily by feather wear, rather than moult; sexes differ significantly only in breeding plumage. Nominate race in fresh plumage (non-breeding) is dark reddish-brown with grey tones above, crown to mantle and scapulars streaked blackish-brown, rump and uppertail-coverts unstreaked; side of head and neck buffy brown, mottled and speckled dark brown, except for paler unmarked lores and narrow eyering; tail ash-brown, greyer on underside, outer feathers having diffuse dusky subterminal spot and whitish tip (really evident only on shortest, outermost pair); whitish below, breast, flanks and undertail-coverts washed warm buff, breast side mottled and streaked dark brown (sometimes a few dark speckles extend across chest); iris pale yellowish, brown or orange; bill black during breeding, non-breeding upper mandible brown with darker tip, lower mandible paler yellowish at base; legs pinkish or brownish-pink. Differs from very similar P. polychroa in having streaking at side of breast, also abrasion can reveal dark feather bases as mottling across chest. Male in worn plumage (breeding) has upperparts dark dull grey-brown, streaking less clear (looking like dull mottling, rather than streaking); much of the buff on underparts is lost, but pale tips reveal extensive blackish feather bases, which form patches on breast sides, on some individuals blackish extends right across breast; tail heavily abraded, tips of longest feathers become frayed and often broken (tail appears shorter and more bleached); bill black. Female breeding is similar to male, but underparts mostly whitish with very little black, merely some mottling on breast sides. Juvenile is dull brown above, with dark speckling obvious only on forehead and crown, has underparts light buffy whitish, washed pale olive across breast; eyes almost whitish. Race striatula is greyer above than non-breeding nominate, cleaner and whiter below, with almost no markings at sides of breast; catharia is browner and more boldly streaked than nominate, has distinctly ginger edges of flight-feathers; parvirostris has very grey underparts, with olive wash across breast and olive-buff flanks and undertail-coverts; parumstriata is very white with only very pale buff wash below, has bold streaking on crown and mantle in breeding plumage, in non-breeding has much darker upperparts with less obvious streaking; striata is very like previous, but has more pronounced pale streaking on crown and mantle, and duller (less rufous) edges of wing-coverts.

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Open grassy hillsides and mountainsides with scattered shrubs, especially Berberis; also bushy clearings in coniferous forest. Often found in rocky and grassy ravines and frequently about rank vegetation by edges of villages and terraced cultivation. In summer chiefly between 1200 m and 2300 m, but recorded as high as 3100 m (in W Nepal) and as low as 600 m (Pakistan and Bhutan); in winter down to 300 m in Himalayan foothills, but recorded as high as 2100 m in some places.

Generally considered resident; also an altitudinal migrant, many making post-breeding descent to lower elevations.

Food invertebrates, especially insects and their larvae. Normally shy and retiring, typically alone or in pairs, foraging on or near ground, among grasses. Weaves its way with relative ease through dense tangles of vegetation. Despite shy nature, can be surprisingly inquisitive at times; if suddenly flushed, flies low and jerkily for short distance before diving back into cover, and very hard to flush for a second time.

Song a jaunty, rhythmic wheezy or rasping phrase, repeated quickly three or four times, may be rendered as “chitzereet-chitzereet-chitzereet-chitzereet-chitzereet-chitzereet”, last few notes speeding up into small climax; has been likened to sound of a blade being sharpened on a grindstone.

Season May–Oct, most laying in May or Jul and Aug, during wet season. Has undulating song flight. Nest constructed by both sexes, rather flimsy, with domed “roof” creating oval structure with entrance towards top at one side, of grass blades matted with vegetable down, interior cup lined with finer grasses; usually within 0·5 m of ground and well concealed in grassy tangle or other herbage, sometimes up to 1·5 m in thorny shrub. Clutch 3–7 eggs (mean 4, rarely more); incubation by both sexes, period 10 or 11 days’ chicks tended by both parents, no information on nestling period. Nests parasitized by Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) and by Plaintive Cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus).

Not globally threatened. Locally numerous throughout most of its extensive range; rare and little known at W limit of range, in Afghanistan, where only a handful of records, chiefly from Jalalabad region. Common or locally common in W & N Pakistan, N & NE India, Nepal, Bhutan, N & W Myanmar, S & SE China and Taiwan. No recent records from Bangladesh, and claimed past occurrence there (race catharia) requires confirmation.