File:Scaly-breasted_munia_(Lonchura_punctulata_nisoria)_Ubud.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Lonchura punctulata
Sign in to saveAlso known as nutmeg mannikin, Lonchura (Lonchura) punctulata, Scaly-breasted Munia
species of bird
OverviewAI-generated
Lonchura punctulata, commonly known as the Scaly-breasted Munia, is a species of bird in the family Estrildidae. Classified under the order Passeriformes and class Aves, it belongs to the genus Lonchura. The scientific name was originally described by Linnaeus in 1758. This organism has an accepted taxonomic status and is part of the phylum Chordata.
The species has a mass of 14 and a litter size of 6.3. Its range includes Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and the Philippines. According to the IUCN Red List, its conservation status is Least Concern as of 2025. Records from various institutions, including RBINS-SCIENTIFIC HERITAGE, CAS, MLZ, CMNH, and UBCBBM, document its presence in countries such as China, the United States, India, Australia, and Singapore.
Synthesized by Vinony from 37 facts across 7 sources: Wikidata, GBIF, Gbif Occ, IUCN Red List, WoRMS, iDigBio, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.
Species
Least ConcernLonchura punctulata
SPECIES
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassAves
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyEstrildidae
via GBIF · IUCN
Museum specimens
- Specimen records
- 867
- With media
- 68
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Collections
- RBINS-SCIENTIFIC HERITAGE, CAS, MLZ, CMNH, UBCBBM, TCWC
- Recorded in
- China, United States, India, Australia, Singapore, Myanmar
Bird sounds
- call· Singapore· quality A
- call· Thailand· quality A
- call· Thailand· quality A
- call· China· quality A
via Xeno-canto
Wikidata facts
Show 9 more facts
- taxon rank
- species
- IUCN conservation status
- Least Concern
- Commons category
- Lonchura punctulata
- taxon name
- Lonchura punctulata
- Commons gallery
- Lonchura punctulata
- litter size
- 6.3
- taxon common name
- 斑文鸟
- short name
- L. punctulata
- taxon range
- Africa
via Wikidata · CC0
~19 min read
Encyclopedic overview
The scaly-breasted munia or spotted munia (Lonchura punctulata), known in the pet trade as nutmeg mannikin or spice finch, is a sparrow-sized estrildid finch native to tropical Asia. A species of the genus Lonchura, it was formally described and named by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Its name is based on the distinct scale-like feather markings on the breast and belly. The adult is brown above and has a dark conical bill. The species has 11 subspecies across its range, which differ slightly in size and colour.
This munia eats mainly grass seeds apart from berries and small insects. They forage in flocks and communicate with soft calls and whistles. The species is highly social and may sometimes roost with other species of munias. This species is found in tropical plains and grasslands. Breeding pairs construct dome-shaped nests using grass or bamboo leaves.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Lonchura punctulata” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.