Prinia cinereocapilla
The Grey-crowned Prinia (Prinia cinereocapilla) is a diminutive and sprightly passerine bird, immediately recognizable by its distinctive slate-grey crown contrasting sharply with a bright white supercilium and a dark eye-stripe. Measuring around 10-11 cm in length and weighing a mere 6-9 grams, its small size belies a surprisingly loud vocal repertoire. Its upperparts are a dull olive-brown, transitioning to whitish underparts, and it possesses a long, graduated tail often held cocked. Belon...
Primarily inhabits subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests, moist montane forests, dense scrub, tall grasslands, and forest edges, typically at elevations from 200m to 1800m.
Feeds almost exclusively on small invertebrates, primarily insects such as caterpillars, beetles, ants, and spiders, which it gleans from leaves and twigs or snatches in short aerial pursuits.
Grey-crowned Prinias are highly active and diurnal birds, spending their days foraging energetically within dense vegetation. They typically glean insects from foliage, often performing acrobatic maneuvers and short sallies to snatch prey. During the breeding season, males establish territories w...
The Grey-crowned Prinia is native to the Himalayan foothills and Southeast Asia, with its primary breeding range extending from central Nepal eastward through Bhutan and northeastern India (including states like Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh) into northern Myanmar. Its distribution continues into nor...
Least Concern
- Despite its small size, the Grey-crowned Prinia produces a surprisingly loud and far-carrying song, making it easier to detect than to spot. - Its long, graduated tail is often held upright, or 'cocked', a characteristic posture shared by many prinia species. - This species is an expert at navi...