The swamp grass babbler or swamp prinia is a small bird of the Indian subcontinent. Some authorities consider it a subspecies of the rufous-vented grass babbler.
Region
Northeast India and Bangladesh
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily in the lowland floodplains of Assam and adjacent Northeast India, with small populations extending into northern Bangladesh. It favors extensive tracts of tall, dense, riverine grasslands dominated by Saccharum (elephant grass), Phragmites, and other reedbeds. The species keeps close to the ground and mid-stalk levels, using dense cover for foraging and nesting. It is strongly associated with seasonally inundated habitats on river islands, levees, and marsh edges.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 300 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as the swamp prinia, this skulking warbler is tied to tall, seasonally flooded grasslands in the Brahmaputra floodplain. Some authorities have treated it as a subspecies of the rufous-vented grass babbler. It is notoriously hard to see, often revealed only by its repetitive, insect-like song from within elephant grass. Rapid loss and burning of wet grasslands are its chief threats.
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats low over grass
Social Behavior
Usually found singly, in pairs, or small family groups within contiguous patches of tall grass. Likely monogamous with breeding during the post-monsoon period when grasses are tall and dense. Nests low in grass clumps, where both parents participate in care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a repetitive, insect-like series of thin, metallic notes, delivered from within cover or a low grass stem. Calls include soft tiks and brief scolding chatters when disturbed.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with fine dark streaking on the mantle, pale buff underparts grading to whitish throat, and rufous-tinged vent and undertail coverts. Tail is long and graduated with darker subterminal shading, often flicked while moving through grasses. Feathers are soft and loose-textured, aiding stealthy movement through dense stems.
Diet
Primarily consumes small insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, and caterpillars, along with spiders and other arthropods. It gleans prey from stems and leaves and occasionally makes short sallies to grab flushed insects. Foraging is deliberate and close to cover, minimizing exposure to predators.
Preferred Environment
Feeds within dense, tall wet grasslands, particularly in stands of elephant grass and reedbeds along river channels and marsh edges. Often selects slightly elevated patches or tussocks within seasonally flooded zones.
