- Prinia fluviatilis
Identification
11-12 cm. A slender, small and unstreaked prinia with a fairly long, graduated tail.
- White supercilium with blackish brown lores
- Grey-brown upperparts, slightly browner on rump
- Grey-brown tail with buffy margins, greyish-buff underside with blackish subterminal spots and creamy-buff tips of feathers
- White underparts, washed buff on flanks, thighs and undertail-coverts
- Pale brown eye
- Black bill
- Pinkish-brown legs
Greyer upperparts and longer tail in non-breeding plumage.
Sexes similar, juveniles undescribed.
Similar species
Very similar to Tawny-flanked Prinia but smaller and with more slender appearance. Also colder grey upperparts, whiter underparts and more contrasting head pattern.
Distribution
Very locally from Mauritania, Senegal and the Gambia east to Chad, Mali, Niger, Cameroon and in northwest Kenya.
Patchily distributed but locally common, especially along the Niger river. Recently found at Lokichokio in northwestern Kenya. May be more widespread than currently known.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Forms a superspecies with Tawny-flanked Prinia, Pale Prinia and Plain Prinia.
Habitat
Swamp vegetation near permanent water in the Sahel biome. Also in tall grass and dense shrubs on saline soils.
In areas where sympatric with Tawny-flanked Prinia usually in wetter sites closer to water.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects.
Breeding
Breeding season from August to November in Senegal. A solitary species, usually strongly territorial.
The nest is a deep oval with a side entrance, made of fine plant fibres or grasses. It's placed on the ned of a hanging rush leaf or branch of bush over water. Lays 4 eggs.
Movements
Presumably a resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and D Christie, eds. 2006. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 11: Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553064
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2014. IOC World Bird Names (version 4.1). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) River Prinia. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 20 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/River_Prinia
