Drakensberg Prinia
Prinia hypoxantha
The Drakensberg Prinia (Prinia hypoxantha) is a rare cisticola found in 4 countries, weighing about 11 g. The Drakensberg prinia or saffron-breasted prinia is a small passerine bird.
About the Drakensberg Prinia
The Drakensberg prinia or saffron-breasted prinia is a small passerine bird. It lives in eastern South Africa and Eswatini.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The Drakensberg prinia is 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in) long, with short rounded wings, a longish tail, strong legs and a short straight black bill. The head has a whitish eyebrow and the upperparts are otherwise brown. The throat and lower face are whitish with no streaking and the rest of the underparts are yellowish with dark streaking. The long tail has a dark spot near the end and is typically cocked up at an angle. The feet and legs are pinkish-brown, and the eye is pale. The sexes are identical, but juveniles are paler below than the adults.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Drakensberg Prinia can be seen all year round, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Drakensberg Prinia?
- The Drakensberg prinia is 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in) long, with short rounded wings, a longish tail, strong legs and a short straight black bill. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Drakensberg Prinia?
- The Drakensberg Prinia is a tiny sized bird weighing about 11 g.
- Where can you see a Drakensberg Prinia?
- The Drakensberg Prinia occurs in 4 countries, including South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini and Namibia.
- What birds look similar to a Drakensberg Prinia?
- The Drakensberg Prinia is most easily confused with the Rufescent Prinia, the Himalayan Prinia and the Rufous-fronted Prinia.
- Is the Drakensberg Prinia endangered?
- The Drakensberg Prinia is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Drakensberg Prinia for real
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