Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Grey-breasted Prinia

The Grey-breasted Prinia (Prinia hodgsonii), also known as Tea Gobbling Birds, is originally from Eastern India. They forage in the tea bushes and come up for a look every now and then.

This skulking passerine bird is typically found in open woodlands, scrub jungles, and other open areas with some grass type of grass. Grey-breasted Prinia builds its nest in tall grass and lays 3–4 eggs.

These 4 to 5 in long birds have short rounded wings, a longish tail, strong legs and a short black bill. In breeding plumage, adults are grey-brown above, with no supercilium, a black eye stripe and orange eyering. They have a rufous wing panel. Grey-breasted Prinia's underparts are white with a grey breast band. The sexes are identical.

Non-breeding birds have browner upper part plumage and a white supercilium, but lack the breast band. Young birds are like non-breeding adults but more rufous above. There are a number of subspecies. The distinctive greyer endemic race in Sri Lanka, retains summer-type plumage all year round.

Like most warblers, Grey-breasted Prinia is insectivorous. The song is a repetitive chiwee-chiwee-chiwee-chip-chip-chip.


Happy Trails!

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