Bird Guide

Plain Prinia vs Tawny-flanked Prinia

Plain Prinia (Prinia inornata)

Plain Prinia

Prinia inornata

Tiny7 gShrubland

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. 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.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: 葉淑蓮 · CC BY 4.0
Tawny-flanked Prinia (Prinia subflava)

Tawny-flanked Prinia

Prinia subflava

Tiny9 gShrubland

The tawny-flanked prinia is 11–12 cm (4.3–4.7 in) in length with a long, narrow, graduated tail and a fairly long, slender bill. The tail is often held erect or waved from side to side. The upperparts are grey-brown with rufous-brown edges to the flight feathers and a rufous tinge to the rump. The throat and breast are whitish while the flanks and vent are warm buff. There is a whitish stripe over the eye and the lores are dark. The tail feathers have a white tip and a dark subterminal band. The sexes are similar in appearance. Non-breeding birds have a longer tail than breeding birds.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Ben Phalan · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: suncana · CC BY 4.0

Learn this pair in BeakBrain

Photo and call practice, free in any browser.

Play BeakBrain

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Plain Prinia and Tawny-flanked Prinia.