About the Chestnut Munia
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 accepted 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.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
Small, sexes alike, races differ slightly in intensity of colour. In L. a. jagori, the adult has the whole head, breast, centre of belly, and undertail coverts black; the back, wing, and sides of belly chestnut, brighter on underparts, duller on wings; uppertail coverts dark reddish brown, underpart buff; uppertail coverts and tail as adult. Bill silvery grey; eye chestnut; legs gray.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Chestnut Munia lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Portugal, Ecuador, Trinidad & Tobago, Guam.
When to see the Chestnut Munia
Peak activity in March · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Tricolored MuniaLonchura malaccaThe tricoloured munia is an estrildid finch, native to Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and southern China.
Chestnut-breasted MannikinLonchura castaneothoraxThe 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.
Black-throated MuniaLonchura kelaartiThe black-throated munia or Jerdon's mannikin is a small passerine bird.
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