Scaly-breasted (Spotted) Munia Pictures and Detail (Beautiful Tiny Birds)

Pair of Scaly-breasted (Spotted) Munia

Scaly-breasted (Spotted) Munia Pictures and Detail- 

I was trying to capture pictures of these tiny birds from many days; however, failed many times because they disappear in few seconds. After many tries, I got few of pictures of Scaly-breasted Munia also called spotted Munia. The scientific name of this bird is Lonchura punctulata.

Scaly-breasted Munia is a popular pet bird and many people capture them in cages which I don't like and admire because I love birds in their free environment. They are also called nutmeg mannikin or spice finch by people who trade them. Spotted Munia are small sized birds and sometimes, we may miss to notice them. They are native to tropical Asia and can be spotted in many parts.

Scaly-breasted (Spotted) Muni

The amazing thing about this bird is that we can find 11 sub species of them which are slightly varying in color and size. This shows that how amazing and complex our nature is. Scaly-breasted Munia belongs to the Lonchura genus and it was named by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.

This Munia bird got its specific name because of the scale like feathers (spotted marks) on the breast and belly. They have a dark brown bill in the shape of a cone. It is common to find Scaly-breasted Munia eating grass seeds. Apart from seeds, they also eat small berries and insects.

These birds communicate with each other through soft whistling calls. We can find these birds in city gardens, around small dense trees, bushes and grasslands. It is common to find Scaly-breasted Munia in small groups or in pairs or sometimes alone. These small birds are also known for their social skills. These birds originally belong to Asia and we can find them in India and in island nations like Sri Lanka, Indonesia. Though, these birds have now entered many other parts of the world through the introduction.

The size of Spotted Munia is around 11-12 cm long with a weight between 11-15 GM only. Due to small size Scaly-breasted Munia always remain vigilant to avoid predators. In the future, I hope to get more pictures of Scaly Breasted (Spotted) Munia.