Prinia cinereocapilla

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PASSERIFORMES	CISTICOLIDAE

Scientific Name:

Prinia cinereocapilla

Species Authority:

Hodgson, 1854

Common Name/s:

English

–

Grey-crowned Prinia

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A2c+3c+4c ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Baral, H. & Singh, A.

Justification:
This species is suspected to be rapidly declining as a result of the degradation and conversion of wooded grasslands throughout its range. It therefore qualifies as Vulnerable.

History:

2008	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Prinia cinereocapilla has been recorded in the terai of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam, India (BirdLife International 2001), and was recently also found at Sukhna, along the Haryana-Punjab state border (Singh 2006) and at Pangot, Nanital and Dehradun in Uttarakhand (Sondhi 2011, A. P. Singh in litt. 2012). In Nepal, it formerly occurred from Kanchanpur district in the west to Ilam district in the east, but it has declined and is now confined to three protected areas: Chitwan National Park, and in adjoining areas of Parsa Wildlife Reserve and Bardia National Park and buffer zone (H. Baral in litt. 2012). Baral (2001) found it fairly common in Chitwan National Park and in adjoining areas of Parsa Wildlife Reserve. The Nepalese population is currently estimated at between 950-2,375 individuals (H. Baral in litt. 2012). It is also known locally from Bhutan, where it is considered rare.
Countries:	Native: Bhutan; India; Nepal
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The population size is preliminarily estimated to fall into the band 10,000-19,999 individuals. This equates to 6,667-13,333 mature individuals, rounded here to 6,000-15,000 mature individuals.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It primarily inhabits grassland with scrubby undergrowth, scattered trees and shrubs, particularly grasslands dominated by Themeda species, which typically occur close to Sal forests (Baral 2002). It also occurs in open forest and secondary growth, being more arboreal than other species of its genus. It is presumably resident from the lowlands up to 1,350 m, apparently breeding around June, although no confirmed nest has been reported.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It primarily inhabits grassland with scrubby undergrowth, scattered trees and shrubs, particularly grasslands dominated by Themeda species, which typically occur close to Sal forests (Baral 2002). It also occurs in open forest and secondary growth, being more arboreal than other species of its genus. It is presumably resident from the lowlands up to 1,350 m, apparently breeding around June, although no confirmed nest has been reported.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The key threat is the loss of shrubby grasslands and open forests in the terai through conversion to agriculture, collection of fuelwood, overgrazing of livestock, and burning and harvesting of grass for thatch. As it seems to occur naturally at low densities throughout much of its range the deleterious effects of habitat fragmentation may be more pronounced. In Chitwan National Park it is threatened by the invasive alien Mikania micrantha which can smother grasslands (H. Baral in litt. 2012).

Major Threat(s):

The key threat is the loss of shrubby grasslands and open forests in the terai through conversion to agriculture, collection of fuelwood, overgrazing of livestock, and burning and harvesting of grass for thatch. As it seems to occur naturally at low densities throughout much of its range the deleterious effects of habitat fragmentation may be more pronounced. In Chitwan National Park it is threatened by the invasive alien Mikania micrantha which can smother grasslands (H. Baral in litt. 2012).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway There are recent records from Corbett Tiger Reserve, India, Chitwan and Parsa Wildlife Reserves, Nepal and Manas National Park, Bhutan. Conservation Actions Proposed Monitor populations in suitable habitat throughout the species's range to establish population trends. Survey areas of suitable habitat in intervening areas between known sites in order to clarify the distribution and population size. Extend, upgrade and link existing protected areas to conserve remaining tracts of suitable habitat. Control livestock-grazing, degradation of forest and encroachment in protected areas. Conduct widespread conservation awareness initiatives focusing on sustainable management of grassland and forest in and around protected areas.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
There are recent records from Corbett Tiger Reserve, India, Chitwan and Parsa Wildlife Reserves, Nepal and Manas National Park, Bhutan.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Monitor populations in suitable habitat throughout the species's range to establish population trends. Survey areas of suitable habitat in intervening areas between known sites in order to clarify the distribution and population size. Extend, upgrade and link existing protected areas to conserve remaining tracts of suitable habitat. Control livestock-grazing, degradation of forest and encroachment in protected areas. Conduct widespread conservation awareness initiatives focusing on sustainable management of grassland and forest in and around protected areas.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Prinia cinereocapilla. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2013.
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