It is found in Bhutan, northern India and Nepal.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, and arable land.

It is threatened by habitat loss, including forest fires.

[2] Grey-crowned prinia is 11 cm long and weighs 6–8·5 g. A small, neatly proportioned and relatively short-tailed prinia with small and slim bill.

During the breeding season, it has blue-gray ear-coverts, and no supercilium.