29-3-2025 LEOPARD TRAILS LODGE, SRILANKA - SCALY BREASTED MUNIA (Lonchura punctulata)

The Scaly-breasted Munia, also known as the Spotted Munia, is a diminutive estrildid finch native to the tropical regions of Asia. It is recognized by its unique scale-like feather markings on the breast and belly, which give rise to its name. Adults exhibit a brown plumage above with a dark conical bill, while the underparts are white with dark scalloping.

Adult Scaly-breasted Munias are characterized by their stubby dark bills, adapted for grain consumption, and their distinctive scale-like pattern on the underparts. Males and females are similar in appearance, though males may display slightly darker markings and throat. Juveniles lack the dark head of adults and have uniform buff underparts, which can lead to confusion with other munia species.

These birds are commonly found in proximity to water and grasslands, particularly favoring paddy fields in India where they are known to feed on grain. They are typically seen on the plains but can also be found at higher elevations, such as the foothills of the Himalayas and the Nilgiris during summer months.

The Scaly-breasted Munia is endemic to Asia, with a range extending from India and Sri Lanka to Indonesia and the Philippines. It has been introduced to various other parts of the world, establishing feral populations in locations such as Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, parts of Australia, and the United States.

Highly social, these munias form flocks that can number up to 100 individuals. They communicate with a repertoire of soft calls and whistles and exhibit tail and wing flicking behaviors. They may roost communally, often in close contact with one another, and engage in allopreening, particularly on the face and neck.

The Scaly-breasted Munia's vocalizations include a short whistle, a "kitty-kitty-kitty" call, and a sharp chipping alarm note. The male's song, heard mainly during the breeding season, is a soft but complex jingle, audible only at close range.

Breeding typically occurs during the summer rainy season. Both sexes participate in constructing dome-shaped nests from grass or bamboo leaves, often placed in trees or under house eaves. Clutches usually contain 4 to 6 eggs, which are incubated by both parents and hatch within 10 to 16 days.

The diet of the Scaly-breasted Munia primarily consists of grass seeds, supplemented with small berries and insects. They forage in flocks, and their feeding behavior aligns with the optimal foraging theory, balancing time and energy to maximize food intake.

The Scaly-breasted Munia is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a large and stable population across an extensive range. While common throughout most of its range, some populations have been affected by the bird trade. In certain areas, they are considered agricultural pests due to their feeding habits in cereal crops.

24-3-2025 GAL OYA LAKE, SRI LANKA - SCALY BREASTED MUNIA (Lonchura punctulata)

The scaly-breasted munia or spotted munia (Lonchura punctulata), 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 colour.

This munia eats mainly grass seeds apart from berries and small insects. They forage in flocks and communicate with soft calls and whistles. The species is highly social and may sometimes roost with other species of munias. This species is found in tropical plains and grasslands. Breeding pairs construct dome-shaped nests using grass or bamboo leaves.

The species is endemic to Asia and occurs from India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and the Philippines (where it is called mayang pakíng). It has been introduced into many other parts of the world, and feral populations have established in Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, as well as parts of Australia, and the United States of America, with sightings in California. The bird is listed as of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

This munia eats mainly grass seeds apart from berries and small insects. They forage in flocks and communicate with soft calls and whistles. The species is highly social and may sometimes roost with other species of munias. This species is found in tropical plains and grasslands. Breeding pairs construct dome-shaped nests using grass or bamboo leaves.

The species is endemic to Asia and occurs from India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and the Philippines (where it is called mayang pakíng). It has been introduced into many other parts of the world, and feral populations have established in Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, as well as parts of Australia, and the United States of America, with sightings in California. The bird is listed as of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

5-6-2023 UBUD, BALI - SCALY BREASTED MUNIA (Lonchura punctulata)

The  scaly-breasted munia or spotted munia (Lonchura punctulata), 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.

This munia eats mainly grass seeds apart from berries and small insects. They forage in flocks and communicate with soft calls and whistles. The species is highly social and may sometimes roost with other species of munias. This species is found in tropical plains and grasslands. Breeding pairs construct dome-shaped nests using grass or bamboo leaves.

The species is endemic to Asia and occurs from India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and the Philippines (where it is called mayang pakíng). It has been introduced into many other parts of the world, and feral populations have established in Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, as well as parts of Australia, and the United States of America, with sightings in California. The bird is listed as of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The scaly-breasted munia is about 11–12 centimetres (4.3–4.7 in) long and weighs 12–16 grams (0.026–0.035 lb). The adult has a stubby dark bill typical of grain eating birds, brown upperparts and a dark brown head. The underparts are white with dark scale markings. The sexes are similar, although males have darker markings on the underside and a darker throat than females.

Immature birds have pale brown upperparts, lack the dark head found in adults, and have uniform buff underparts that can be confused with juveniles of other munia species such as the tricolored munia (Lonchura malacca) across the Asian and island populations and the black-throated munia (Lonchura kelaarti) in parts of India or Sri Lanka.

Distribution and habitat

The scaly-breasted munia (subspecies topela) has established in parts of eastern Australia such as Queensland

Scaly-breasted munias are found in a range of habitats but are usually close to water and grassland. In India, they are especially common in paddy fields where they are considered a minor pest on account of their feeding on grain. They are found mainly on the plains, but can be observed in the foothills of the Himalayas, in which they may be present at altitudes near 2,500 m (1.6 mi), and in the Nilgiris, where they are found at altitudes up to 2,100 m (6,900 ft) during the summer. In Pakistan, they are restricted to a narrow region from Swat in the west to Lahore, avoiding the desert zone, and then occurring again in India east of an area between Ludhiana and Mount Abu. The species has also been observed in Kashmir, though this is rare.

Outside their native range, escaped birds frequently establish themselves in areas with a suitable climate and can then colonize new areas nearby. 

Outside their native range, escaped birds frequently establish themselves in areas with a suitable climate and can then colonize new areas nearby. Escaped cage-birds established in the wild and such populations have been recorded in the West Indies (Puerto Rico since 1971), Hawaii (since 1883, Australia, Japan and southern United States, mainly in Florida and California. In Oahu, Hawaii, they compete for habitats with the tricolored munia and tend to be rare where this competitor is present. The species has been introduced to other parts of the world due to its popularity as a cage bird and populations have established in the wild.