Scaly-Breasted Munia
Lonchura punctulata
Also known as: Nutmeg Mannikin, Spice Finch, Spotted Munia, Tila Munia
Habitat
Ground
Diet
PlantSeed
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
14 g
About This Species
A small, gregarious finch found in grassy fields, rice paddies and scrubby edges, where it forages on the ground and in low grass stems for seeds, often in flocks of a dozen or more. Its scaly-patterned underparts and short, stubby bill are diagnostic at close range, and its soft, buzzy calls help locate flocks moving through tall grass. It can be found year-round in much of its range, with activity concentrated in the cooler hours of morning and late afternoon.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Flocks tolerate people reasonably well in urban and agricultural settings, but a distance of 10 metres avoids flushing birds repeatedly from feeding areas.
- As an introduced species across much of its current range, it typically carries fewer specific legal protections than native birds, though general animal welfare and anti-cruelty laws still apply; rules differ by country, so do not assume none apply.
- Avoid disturbing roosting flocks in reedbeds or tall grass at dusk, when large numbers gather together.
Seasonal Activity
874,098 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Estrildidae
Traits
- Diet
- PlantSeed
- Foraging
- Ground
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 14 g
Photo
(c) Daniel Raposo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Daniel Raposo
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.