White-rumped Munia

Alternative name: Striated Munia

Lonchura striata striata
Photo © by S K Gudi
Karwar, Karnataka, India, February 2014

Lonchura striata

Identification

Lonchura striata swinhoei
Photo © by Neil
Hong Kong, China, October 2005

11–12 cm (4¼-4¾ in)
Long black tail
Adult L. s. striata:

• Stubby bill
• Dark brown upperparts, head, breast and wings
• White underparts and rump
  

The sexes are similar, but with some subspecific variation; in L. s. acuticauda: paler brown upperparts and breast, and buff underparts and only the rump is white.

Distribution

Tropical southern Asia to southern China and South-east Asia. This species was introduced to Japan.

Also kept a pets; escapes possible anywhere.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Lonchura striata subsquamicollis
Photo © by SeeToh
Singapore, August 2017

There are 8 subspecies^[1]:

• L. s. acuticauda:

• South-eastern Kashmir and northern India to Nepal, Myanmar and northern Thailand

• L. s. striata:

• Southern India and Sri Lanka

• L. s. fumigata:

• Andaman Islands

• L. s. semistriata:

• Nicobar Islands

• L. s. swinhoei:

• Southern China and Taiwan

• L. s. subsquamicollis:

• Southern peninsula Thailand, Malay Peninsula and Singapore

• L. s. explita:

• Sporadic but locally common on Sumatra and Bangka Island

• L. s. domestica:

• Domestic form (AKA Society Finch or Bengalese Finch) Introduced to Japan.

Habitat

Juvenile L. s. swinhoei
Photo © by Neil
Hong Kong, China, June 2005

Open woodland, grassland, parks and scrub.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet consists mostly of seeds.

Breeding

The nest is a large dome constructed in a tree or bush. The clutch consists of 3-8 white eggs.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. AvianWeb

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) White-rumped Munia. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-rumped_Munia

External Links

Search for photos of White-rumped Munia in the gallery