Munia | |
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Chestnut-breasted munia Lonchura castaneothorax | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Estrildidae |
Genus: | Lonchura Sykes, 1832 |
Type species | |
Fringilla nisoria = Loxia punctulata nisoria Temminck 1830 | |
Species | |
See text |
Lonchura is a genus of the estrildid finch family, and includes munias (or minias) and mannikins. They are seed-eating birds that are found in South Asia from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka east to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines. The name mannikin is from Middle Dutch mannekijn 'little man', and also the source of the common name of the family Pipridae, manakin. [1]
Some of the Lonchura species were formerly placed in Spermestes. Others have been placed in a genus of their own, Euodice .
They are small gregarious birds which feed mainly on seeds, usually in relatively open habitats, preferring to feed on the ground or on reeds of grasses. Several species have been noted to feed on algae such as Spirogyra . [2] [3]
The nest is a large domed grass structure into which four to ten white eggs are laid. Some species also build communal roosting nests for overnight rest.
The species in this genus are similar in size and structure, with stubby bills, stocky bodies and long tails. Most are 10–12 cm in length. Plumage is usually a combination of browns, black and white, with the sexes similar, but duller and less contrasted for immature birds.
The similarities within this group and the existence of subspecies with differing vocalisations and plumage mean that some races may be elevated to species status. African and Indian silverbill are now usually considered distinct species in the Genus Euodice , and the two races of black-throated munia are often also split.
The munias are popular in the bird trade and many freed or escaped birds have formed feral colonies in different pockets across the world.
The red munia Amandava amandava and green munia Amandava formosa also take the name munia, but are in the genus Amandava .
The genus Lonchura was introduced by the English naturalist William Henry Sykes in 1832. [4] The name combines the Ancient Greek lonkhē meaning "spear-head" or "lance" with oura meaning "tail". [5] Sykes included three species in the genus and of these the type species was designated as Fringilla nisoria Temminck 1830 by Arend Wiegmann in 1835. This taxon is now a subspecies, Loxia punctulata nisoria, of the scaly-breasted munia. [6] [7]
The genus contains 28 species: [7]
Image | Common Name | Scientific name | Distribution |
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Scaly-breasted munia also known as nutmeg mannikin or spice finch | Lonchura punctulata | Indian Subcontinent, including Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka | |
Black-throated munia also known as Jerdon's mannikin | Lonchura kelaarti | southwest India, the Eastern Ghats and Sri Lanka | |
Black-faced munia | Lonchura molucca | Indonesia | |
White-rumped munia | Lonchura striata | Indian subcontinent to southern China east to Taiwan, and through Southeast Asia south to Sumatra | |
Dusky munia | Lonchura fuscans | Borneo | |
White-bellied munia | Lonchura leucogastra | Malay Peninsula to Philippines | |
Javan munia | Lonchura leucogastroides | Southern Sumatra, Java, Bali and Lombok, Indonesia. Introduced in Singapore and south Malay Peninsula | |
Tricolored munia | Lonchura malacca | southern India and Sri Lanka | |
Chestnut munia | Lonchura atricapilla | Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Hawaii | |
White-capped munia | Lonchura ferruginosa | Java and Bali | |
White-headed munia | Lonchura maja | Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam | |
Pale-headed munia | Lonchura pallida | Indonesia | |
Great-billed mannikin | Lonchura grandis | northern and eastern New Guinea | |
Black-breasted mannikin | Lonchura teerinki | West Papua, Indonesia | |
Western alpine mannikin | Lonchura montana | New Guinea | |
Eastern alpine mannikin | Lonchura monticola | Papua | |
Grey-banded mannikin | Lonchura vana | north-west Papua, Indonesia | |
Grey-crowned mannikin | Lonchura nevermanni | southern New Guinea | |
Grey-headed mannikin | Lonchura caniceps | Papua | |
Hooded mannikin | Lonchura spectabilis | New Britain and New Guinea | |
Forbes's mannikin | Lonchura forbesi | Papua New Guinea | |
Mottled mannikin | Lonchura hunsteini | New Ireland | |
New Hanover mannikin | Lonchura nigerrima | New Hannover | |
Yellow-rumped mannikin | Lonchura flaviprymna | Northern Territory, Australia | |
Five-colored munia | Lonchura quinticolor | Lesser Sunda Islands | |
Chestnut-breasted mannikin | Lonchura castaneothorax | Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. | |
Black mannikin | Lonchura stygia | New Guinea, Papua, Papua New Guinea | |
Buff-bellied mannikin | Lonchura melaena | New Britain and Buka Island | |
The African silverbill is a small passerine bird formerly considered conspecific with the Asian species Indian silverbill,. This estrildid finch is a common resident breeding bird in dry savanna habitat, south of the Sahara Desert. This species has also been introduced to other countries such as Portugal, Qatar and United States.
The bronze mannikin or bronze munia is a small passerine bird of the Afrotropics. This very social estrildid finch is an uncommon to locally abundant bird in much of Africa south of the Sahara Desert, where it is resident, nomadic or irruptive in mesic savanna or forest margin habitats. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 8,100,000 km2. It is the smallest and most widespread of four munia species on the African mainland, the other being black-and-white, red-backed and magpie mannikin. It co-occurs with the Madagascar mannikin on the Comoro Islands, and was introduced to Puerto Rico. Especially in the West Africa, it is considered a pest in grain and rice fields. It is locally trapped for the pet bird trade.
The Indian silverbill or white-throated munia is a small passerine bird found in the Indian Subcontinent and adjoining regions that was formerly considered to include the closely related African silverbill. This estrildid finch is a common resident breeding bird in the drier regions of the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. It has also been introduced into many other parts of the world and has become established in some areas. They forage in small flocks in grassland and scrub habitats.
The white-rumped munia or white-rumped mannikin, sometimes called striated finch in aviculture, is a small passerine bird from the family of waxbill "finches" (Estrildidae). These are not close relatives of the true finches (Fringillidae) or true sparrows (Passeridae).
The black-throated munia or Jerdon's mannikin is a small passerine bird. This estrildid finch is a resident breeding bird in the hills of southwest India, the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and Sri Lanka.
The scaly-breasted munia or spotted munia, known in the pet trade as nutmeg mannikin or spice finch, is a sparrow-sized estrildid finch native to tropical Asia. A species of the genus Lonchura, it was formally described and named by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Its name is based on the distinct scale-like feather markings on the breast and belly. The adult is brown above and has a dark conical bill. The species has 11 subspecies across its range, which differ slightly in size and color.
The chestnut munia or black-headed munia is a small passerine. It was formerly considered conspecific with the closely related tricoloured munia, but is now widely recognized as a separate species. This estrildid finch is a resident breeding bird in Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Hawaii. It also has been introduced to all the Greater Antilles and Martinique in the Caribbean.
The red avadavat, red munia or strawberry finch, is a sparrow-sized bird of the family Estrildidae. It is found in the open fields and grasslands of tropical Asia and is popular as a cage bird due to the colourful plumage of the males in their breeding season. It breeds in the Indian Subcontinent in the monsoon season. The species name of amandava and the common name of avadavat are derived from the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India, from where these birds were exported into the pet trade in former times.
Geopelia is a genus of small, long-tailed doves in the family Columbidae. They are native to South-east Asia and Australasia and are most often found in open country and scrubland. They feed mainly on seeds which they find by foraging on the ground. They typically lay two eggs in a simple nest of twigs and grass. Their plumage is mostly greyish-brown with a pattern of spots or bars. The zebra dove and diamond dove are commonly kept in captivity.
The grey-headed silverbill, also known as pearl-headed mannikin, is a species of estrildid finch found in eastern Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, and Tanzania. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 400,000 km2. It was formerly usually placed in the monotypic genus Odontospiza as Odontospiza caniceps and sometimes placed in the genus Lonchura.
The black-and-white mannikin also black-and-white munia or red-backed mannikin, is a species of estrildid finch, widely occurring throughout the African tropical rainforest. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 4,200,000 km2. It is found in moist savanna and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest habitat. The status of the species is evaluated as least concern. They are seedeaters, but are known to feed on algae.
The streak-headed mannikin also known as the streak-headed munia, is a small 10 cm (3.9 in) long estrildid finch.
The Javan munia is a species of estrildid finch native to southern Sumatra, Java, Bali and Lombok islands in Indonesia. It was introduced in Singapore and the Malay Peninsula; It inhabits subtropical and tropical dry shrubland and grassland habitat. It has been assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
The dusky munia is a species of estrildid finch which is endemic to Borneo. It is also commonly referred to as the Dusky mannikin and the Bornean munia. It is in the family of perching birds (Passeriformes) and is in the genus Lonchura. It is a monotypic species, and there are no subspecies in the genus.
The black-faced munia is a species of estrildid finch found in Indonesia and East Timor. It occurs in a wide range of habitats including artificial landscapes, forest, grassland and savannah. It was first described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae in 1766. The IUCN has evaluated the status of this bird as being of least concern.
The white-headed munia is a species of estrildid finch found in Teladan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. This species is also introduced to Portugal. It is found in wetlands habitat. The status of the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
The western alpine mannikin also known as Snow Mountain mannikin or western alpine munia is a small, approximately 11.5 cm long, estrildid finch. Both sexes are similar with dark brown plumage, black face, buff chest and black-barred white abdomen. The young has black bill, dark brown plumage and buffy-white below.
The hooded mannikin or hooded munia, also known as the New Britain mannikin or Sclater's mannikin, is a species of estrildid finch found in New Britain and New Guinea.
The chestnut-breasted mannikin, also known as the chestnut-breasted munia or bully bird, is a small brown-backed munia with a black face and greyish crown and nape. It has a broad ferruginous breast bar above a white belly. The species is found in Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. This species has also been introduced to French Polynesia.
The tricoloured munia is an estrildid finch, native to Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and southern China. The species has also introduced to the Caribbean, in Trinidad, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Venezuela. This species, like the chestnut munia has been known as the black-headed munia. Immature birds have pale brown upperparts, lack the dark head found in adults, and have uniform buff underparts that can be confused with immatures of other munias such as the scaly-breasted munia.