Munia
Scientific Name: Lonchura maja
Origin: Indonesia
Munia is a common name for a genus of small, seed-eating birds that are native to Asia, Africa, and Australia. The scientific name for this genus is Lonchura, and it belongs to the family Estrildidae, which includes finches and other small songbirds.
Munias are also commonly known as mannikins or silverbills, depending on the species. They are typically small birds, with plump, round bodies and short, conical beaks. Munias are often brightly colored, with shades of brown, black, white, and red, and many species have distinctive markings on their wings and tails.
Munias are popular as pets, and several species have been widely introduced to other parts of the world, where they are sometimes considered pests due to their ability to compete with native bird species for food and nesting sites. In their native range, munias are typically found in grasslands, savannas, and scrublands, and they feed primarily on grass seeds and small insects.
Munias are known for their sweet, melodic songs, and they are often kept as caged birds for their singing ability. In some cultures, munias are also considered to be symbols of good luck or fertility.
Description:
Size: 13 cm (5 in)
COCK:
Body: chocolate brown. Head: white.Beak: greyish-blue. Legs: grey. Eyes: black.
HEN:
Similar, but the head and beak are smaller than those of the cock.
Diet: (Seedeater)
Mixed millets and green food form the basic diet. If available, an occasional mealworm is enjoyed.
Breeding:
It is sometimes a little difficult to get pairs to start breeding, but once accomplished, this bird rears young very well. An average clutch is four eggs with an incubation period of 12 days.
Rearing food should be provided in the form of soaked bread and a few chopped mealworms, if available, together with the normal seed diet. The young fledge in 25 days and the parents continue to feed them for some time afterward. This specie is often cross-bred with Bengalese.
The following information can be useful for pet owners who are into trying their hands on breeding birds.
- A very less percentage of bird owners try their hands in breeding munia as this bird is easily available in the bird aviaries and at low rates as well. But if you are interested in breeding munia you should be informed that these birds usually develop strong bonding and form pairs at their very juvenile stage, during the time of the process of their early plumage. So, for successful breeding, you are recommended to buy juvenile birds as they can form strong pairs.
- If not young birds, you may keep several adult birds in a colony. The birds would be able to choose their mates for breeding.
- It would be ideal for the birds to be allowed to make their nests for laying eggs and rearing the young. Provide them with half-open boxes along with enough nest-building materials like coco fibers, slender grasses, and soft chicken feathers.
- To entice the birds for breeding you may introduce wild seeding grass, sprouted seeds, and other forms of greens.
- While breeding serves them with an egg-based diet as that would ensure high protein content.
Munia Bird Information
- This breed of bird is found in areas including Africa, south Asian countries like India, Srilanka, up to Indonesia, and the Philippines.
- The bird is mainly found in open food lands and is primarily a seed-eating bird.
- The munia birds are popularly traded and those are which have either escaped or abandoned now reside in various parts of the world in colonies.
In the wild, the munia stays in flocks and devour a patch of grassland together by forming a wave-like formation. At first, a few birds would move forwards following a few more. Sometimes the birds would move at a regular movement of leap and hopping over the first row of birds.
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