Graceful Prinia

Taxobox
name = Graceful Prinia

---

image_caption = Near Hodal in Faridabad District of Haryana, India.
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
status_ref = [IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=52355|title=Prinia gracilis|downloaded=12 May 2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Cisticolidae
genus = "Prinia"
species = "P. gracilis"
binomial = "Prinia gracilis"
binomial_authority = Lichtenstein, 1823

The Graceful Prinia, "Prinia gracilis", is a small warbler (in some older works it is referred to as Graceful Warbler). This prinia is a resident breeder in northeast Africa and southwest Asia from Egypt and Somalia east to north India, where it is sometimes called Streaked Wren-Warbler.cite book
last = Ali
first = Salim
authorlink=Salim Ali (ornithologist)
coauthors = J C Daniel
title = The book of Indian Birds, Twelfth Centenary edition
year = 1983
publisher=Bombay Natural History Society/Oxford University Press
address = New Delhi]

This active passerine bird is typically found in shrub or tall grass in a variety of habitats with thick undergrowth, tamarisks or similar cover. Graceful Prinia builds its nest in a bush or grass and lays 3-5 eggs.

These 10-11 cm long warblers have short rounded wings, and a long tapering tail with each feather tipped with black and white. In breeding plumage, adults are grey-brown above, with dark streaking. The underparts are whitish with buff flanks, and the bill is short and black. The sexes are similar. In winter, adults are brighter sandy brown above with weaker streaking, there is more buff on the sides, and the bill is paler.

There are 12 subspecies, of which " P. g. akyildizi", of southern Turkey is the darkest, brownest, and most heavily streaked above, and has the brightest buff flanks.

The long tail is often cocked, and the flight of this species is weak. Like most warblers, Graceful Prinia is insectivorous. The call is a rolling trilled "breep", and the song is a hard rolling repletion of "zerlip".

References

Other References

* "Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa" by Baker, ISBN 0-7136-3971-7
* "Birds of India" by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6