Chestnut Munia Bird Facts (Lonchura atricapilla)

The Chestnut Munia is a small, stocky finch with a distinctive appearance. Its head is glossy black, contrasting sharply with a rich chestnut-brown body and wings. The rump and tail are a darker brown, while the belly and undertail coverts are white, creating a striking tricolour effect.

Both males and females share this colouration, making them difficult to distinguish visually. Juveniles have duller plumage, lacking the black head and showing an overall pale brown colouration until they moult into adult plumage.

The Chestnut Munia can be found in Woodland habitats.

The Chestnut Munia is not typically found in Garden habitats.

The Chestnut Munia is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

The Chestnut Munia is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

The Chestnut Munia is not typically found in Urban habitats.

The Chestnut Munia can be found in Farmland habitats.

The Chestnut Munia can be found in Grassland habitats.

The Chestnut Munia is not typically found in Desert habitats.

The Chestnut Munia is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

The Chestnut Munia is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

The Chestnut Munia is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

The Chestnut Munia is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Chestnut Munias inhabit many open habitats across South and Southeast Asia, including India, Bangladesh, southern China, and Indonesia. They thrive in grasslands, scrublands, and agricultural areas, particularly rice paddies and other grain fields.

They have been introduced to Hawaii, where they have established populations on several islands. In their native range, they are year-round residents, showing little seasonal movement.

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Chestnut Munia. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Species that are present in the area during their breeding season

Philippines

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

The Chestnut Munia displays considerable agility, particularly in its foraging behaviour. Its ability to move nimbly through grass stems and its distinctive bouncy flight pattern indicate a high level of manoeuvrability and dexterity.

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

As a small finch, the Chestnut Munia possesses modest strength relative to larger birds. However, its strong beak, adapted for extracting seeds, suggests some degree of specialised muscular power in this area.

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

This species demonstrates remarkable adaptability, thriving in various habitats from natural grasslands to human-modified landscapes like rice paddies and suburban areas. Its success in colonising introduced areas (e.g., Hawaii) further evidences its adaptable nature.

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

Chestnut Munias are generally non-aggressive, preferring to live in social flocks. Their gentle nature and popularity as pets suggest a low propensity for aggression, although they may display some territorial behaviour during breeding.

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

While specific endurance data is limited, the Chestnut Munia's ability to forage actively in flocks and its potential to undertake local movements suggest moderate endurance. However, as a small bird primarily adapted to short flights, its overall endurance is likely not exceptionally high.

The Chestnut Munia primarily feeds on small seeds from grasses and cultivated grains. It shows a particular fondness for rice, millet, and other cereal crops.

During the breeding season, it supplements its diet with small insects and spiders, providing additional protein for growing chicks.

Chestnut Munias are highly social birds, often seen in flocks of 10 to 30 individuals, sometimes mixing with other Munia species. They have a distinctive bouncy flight pattern, alternating between rapid wing beats and brief glides.

They move through grass stems with agility when foraging, using their strong beaks to extract seeds.

Chestnut Munias have a variety of soft, musical calls. Their most common vocalisation is a gentle 'chit-chit-chit' or 'tee-tee-tee' often heard as they forage or fly.

During courtship, males produce a more elaborate song, a series of warbling notes that sound like 'chee-wee-chee-wee-chee'.

The breeding season for Chestnut Munias varies by region but often coincides with the local rainy season. During courtship, pairs form strong bonds and engage in mutual preening and soft vocalisations.

Nests are large, domed structures of woven grass, typically placed in dense vegetation or tall grass. The female lays 4-6 small white eggs in a clutch.

Both parents share incubation duties for about 14 days. After hatching, chicks remain in the nest for approximately 21 days before fledging. Parents continue to feed and care for the young for several weeks after they leave the nest.

The Chestnut Munia typically lives for 5 to 7 years.

Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.

While the Chestnut Munia is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, it faces localised threats from habitat loss due to agricultural intensification and urbanisation.

In some areas, trapping for the pet trade has impacted populations, prompting calls for better regulation and monitoring of wild bird capture.

Look for flocks in open grasslands, rice paddies, and agricultural areas
Listen for their soft, musical chirping calls as they forage
Observe their behavior near seeding grasses or cultivated grains
Check for nests in dense vegetation or tall grasses

Main predators include small raptors such as sparrowhawks, domestic cats, and various snakes that can access their nests.

Chestnut Munias are sometimes called 'tricoloured munias' due to their distinctive black, chestnut, and white plumage.
They are popular in the pet trade for their gentle nature and melodious calls.
In some parts of their range, they are considered agricultural pests due to their fondness for rice crops.

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