Scaly-breasted Munia

The Scaly-breasted Munia is a small gregarious bird which feeds mainly on seeds. It frequents open woodland and cultivation. The nest is a large domed grass structure in a tree or under the eaves of a house into which 4–10 white eggs are laid.

The Scaly-breasted Munia is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

Scaly-breasted Munias (Lonchura punctulata) were nesting among the pigeon orchids (Dendrobium cruminatum) growing from the fork of a nearby angsana tree (Pterocarpus indicus) about 4-5 metres above the pavement, 2 metres from the busy Changi Village Road, right above a building site (pavement renovations), and 15 metres from a 7-Eleven. “I first noticed them briefly on 1st April 2009, and they were still there 7th May. More

Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata fretensis) feeds mainly on seed. These birds descend on grassy patches to feed on grass seeds like carpet grass (Axonopus compressus). They also feed on casuarina seeds as well as the green alga, Spirogyra. So far we have only documented the different plants they feed on, rather than their feeding behaviour. More

The Scaly-breasted Munia is a common bird found throughout Sri Lanka, ascending to the highlands where it may be seen in the same habitat as the endemic Black throated Munia. More info after the jump. The Scaly-breasted Munia, also known as the Nutmeg Manikin or the Spice Finch, is a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and the Philippines. More

The Scaly-breasted Munia is a small gregarious bird which feeds mainly on seeds. It frequents open woodland and cultivation. The nest is a large domed grass structure in a tree or under the eaves of a house into which 4–10 white eggs are laid. Characteristics - The Scaly-breasted Munia is 11–12 cm in length. The adult has a stubby dark bill, brown upperparts and darker brown head. The underparts are white with black scale markings. More

* Scaly-breasted MuniaExternal Site - Lots of information. * Widowed Spice FinchExternal Site - Article by Jayne Yantz. * Spice FinchExternal Site - NFSS article. * The Spice FinchExternal Site - eFinch species profile. * Spice FinchExternal Site - Singing Wings Aviary species profile. * The Spice FinchExternal Site - A brief article on breeding the Spice Finch. More

Scaly-breasted Munias are among the most common Munias and are now quite common in Singapore too. They are found even in urban areas as well as cultivated lands, grasslands, scrub, secondary growth. But they were not so common in earlier records, suggesting that they could have been introduced. Scaly-breasted Munias specialise in eating grass seeds and sedges, and have large conical beaks adapted for this purpose. More

The scaly-breasted Munia is a widespread resident species in India. It is a tiny (10-12cms) shy bird making it a pretty challenging subject for photography. There is however a sure shot way to get close and photograph this bird - find a nesting pair. And we were fortunate to have found a nest during our recent visit to Foresthills in Masinagudi. More