Ashy Prinia

The ashy prinia, or ashy wren-warbler, is a small warbler 13–14cm long with short rounded wings, strong legs, a short black bill and a longish graduated cream tail tipped with black spots, usually held upright. The crown is grey and the underparts rufous in most plumages. Northern birds have distinct breeding and non-breeding plumages: ash-grey above with a black crown and coppery wings when breeding, warmer brown above with a longer tail and a narrow white eyebrow in winter. Other races keep their summer plumage all year (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is common in dry grassland, open woodland, scrub, farmland and town gardens, and its small size, colours and upright tail make it easy to identify. It is found singly or in pairs in shrubbery, clambering about and often hopping on the ground. SoIB 2023 treats it as endemic to the Indian subcontinent and resident with a very large range, estimates a long-term increase of about 138%, and rates it a Low conservation priority (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).