Lonchura is a genus of the estrildid finch family, and includes munias (or minias) and mannikins. They are seed-eating birds that are found in South Asia from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka east to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines. The name mannikin is from Middle Dutch mannekijn 'little man', and also the source of the common name of the family Pipridae, manakin.[1]
Some of the Lonchura species were formerly placed in Spermestes. Others have been placed in a genus of their own, Euodice.
They are small gregarious birds which feed mainly on seeds, usually in relatively open habitats, preferring to feed on the ground or on reeds of grasses. Several species have been noted to feed on algae such as Spirogyra.[2] [3] The nest is a large domed grass structure into which four to ten white eggs are laid. Some species also build communal roosting nests for overnight rest.
The species in this genus are similar in size and structure, with stubby bills, stocky bodies and long tails. Most are 10–12 cm in length. Plumage is usually a combination of browns, black and white, with the sexes similar, but duller and less contrasted for immature birds.
The similarities within this group and the existence of subspecies with differing vocalisations and plumage mean that some races may be elevated to species status. African and Indian silverbill are now usually considered distinct species in the Genus Euodice, and the two races of black-throated munia are often also split.
The munias are popular in the bird trade and many freed or escaped birds have formed feral colonies in different pockets across the world.
The red munia Amandava amandava and green munia Amandava formosa also take the name munia, but are in the genus Amandava.
The genus Lonchura was introduced by the English naturalist William Henry Sykes in 1832.[4] The name combines the Ancient Greek lonkhē meaning "spear-head" or "lance" with oura meaning "tail".[5] Sykes included three species in the genus and of these the type species was designated as Fringilla nisoria Temminck 1830 by Arend Wiegmann in 1835. This taxon is now a subspecies, Loxia punctulata nisoria, of the scaly-breasted munia.[6] [7]
The genus contains 28 species:[7]
| Image | Common Name | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scaly-breasted munia also known as nutmeg mannikin or spice finch | Lonchura punctulata | Indian Subcontinent, including Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka | |
| Black-throated munia also known as Jerdon's mannikin | Lonchura kelaarti | southwest India, the Eastern Ghats and Sri Lanka | |
| Lonchura molucca | Indonesia | ||
| Lonchura striata | Indian subcontinent to southern China east to Taiwan, and through Southeast Asia south to Sumatra | ||
| Lonchura fuscans | Borneo | ||
| Lonchura leucogastra | Malay Peninsula to Philippines | ||
| Lonchura leucogastroides | Southern Sumatra, Java, Bali and Lombok, Indonesia. Introduced in Singapore and south Malay Peninsula | ||
| Lonchura malacca | southern India and Sri Lanka | ||
| Lonchura atricapilla | Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Hawaii | ||
| Lonchura ferruginosa | Java and Bali | ||
| Lonchura maja | Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam | ||
| Lonchura pallida | Indonesia | ||
| Lonchura grandis | northern and eastern New Guinea | ||
| Lonchura teerinki | West Papua, Indonesia | ||
| Lonchura montana | New Guinea | ||
| Lonchura monticola | Papua | ||
| Lonchura vana | north-west Papua, Indonesia | ||
| Lonchura nevermanni | southern New Guinea | ||
| Lonchura caniceps | Papua | ||
| Lonchura spectabilis | New Britain and New Guinea | ||
| Lonchura forbesi | Papua New Guinea | ||
| Lonchura hunsteini | New Ireland | ||
| Lonchura nigerrima | New Hannover | ||
| Lonchura flaviprymna | Northern Territory, Australia | ||
| Lonchura quinticolor | Lesser Sunda Islands | ||
| Lonchura castaneothorax | Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. | ||
| Lonchura stygia | New Guinea, Papua, Papua New Guinea | ||
| Lonchura melaena | New Britain and Buka Island | ||