About Prinia flavicans (Vieillot, 1821)
The black-chested prinia, with the scientific name Prinia flavicans (Vieillot, 1821), is a species of bird in the Cisticolidae family. It can be found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitat is dry savanna. All prinias are small warblers. They can be told apart from other warblers by their long tails, which are often held in a near-vertical position. All species in the Prinia genus are sexually monomorphic. Four species of the Prinia genus are present in southern Africa: the black-chested prinia, the tawny-flanked prinia (Prinia subflava), the Karoo prinia (Prinia maculosa), and the Drakensberg prinia (Prinia hypoxantha). Among these four species, the black-chested prinia is the only one that has different plumage for breeding and non-breeding seasons. This species gets its common name from the charcoal-colored breast band that is visible in its breeding plumage. This species is near-endemic to the southern African thornbelt. Black-chested prinias are most abundant in the Kalahari Basin, where their average density is one individual per 0.7 hectares. Within their subtropical climate range, the species lives through three distinct seasons: very hot, dry spring from September to October; hot, wet summer from November to May; and cold, dry winter from June to August (citation: Herremans). Alongside Acacia habitats, Olea-Buddleia vegetation found within Cymbopogon-Themeda grassveld plays an important role in the nesting and feeding behaviors of the black-chested prinia.
