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Black-headed Mannikin/Munia/Nun
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Lonchura atricapilla (formerly Lonchura malacca
atricapilla), 10 subspecies
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Munia/Mannikin
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Other common names
Chestnut Mannikin, Chestnut Munia, Black-headed Munia,
Black-headed Nun, Black-headed Mannikin, Southern Black-headed Munia,
"Black Hooded Nun"
Subspecies:
Subspecies:
- L. a. atricapilla: Indian Black-headed Munia, Eastern Black-headed Munia, Indian Chestnut Munia
- L. a. rubroniger: Nepal Black-headed Munia
- L. a. sinensis: Malaysian Chestnut Munia, Chinese Chestnut Munia
- L. a. formosana: Formosan Chestnut Munia, Taiwan Chestnut Munia, Taiwan Black-headed Munia, Grey-faced Munia
- L. a. deignani: Deignan's Chestnut Munia, Indochina Chestnut Munia
- L. a. brunneiceps: Brown-headed Munia
- L. a. jagori: Philippine Chestnut Munia, Philippine Munia, Philippine Black-headed Munia
- L. a. selimbauensis: Selimbau Chestnut Munia
- L. a. obscura: Dark-backed Chestnut Munia
- L. a. batakana: Batakana Chestnut Munia, Batakana Munia
Origin
Asia
Area of distribution
India, China, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Sulawesi, Ambon, Muna, Philippines,
Taiwan,
Sumatra, Island of Borneo
Disposition
Gregarious, peaceful, calm.
Physical descriptions
Light grey beak, black head,
rich chestnut brown to mahogany body, wings, and tail. Some races have a black
belly and a yellow or orange tinge to the tail. Juveniles are a drab cinnamon-brown
and are indistinguishable from juvenile White-headed Nuns (L. maja) and
juvenile Scaly-breasted Munias (L. punctulata).
Sexing
Sexes appear similar, but only
the cock sings.
Song
The cock's song sounds like a
kitten mewing from a distance. It begins with a sries of almost inaudible
clicks, followed by an extended whine, then ends in a series of slurred notes.
Pictures
Left: a pair. Right: an adult and a juvenile getting its adult plumage.
Left: an adult. Right: an adult with a juvenile.
Favorite foods
Large grain millet, sprouted
seed.
Natural habitat
Grassy areas, especially swampy
grasslands and marshy areas, reeds, rice fields, forrest edge, and scrub brush.
Habits
Black-headed (Chestnut) Munias
live in social groups throughout the year; they gather in rushes and tall
grasses to roost in flocks. Breeding birds and recent fledglings roost in
nests.
Special considerations
Nails tend to become overgrown,
so frequent nail trimming may be needed. Hybrids have been reported between
Chestnut Munias and Chestnut-breasted Mannikins (L. castaneothorax),
society finches, White-headed munias (L. maja), African and Indian
Silverbills (L. cantans and L. malabarica, respectively),
Scaly-breasted Munias (L. punctulata), and Tricolored Munias (L.
malacca), so take care not to allow cross-breeding when housing these
species together.
Breeding season
May to November in the Indian
parts of its range, June to September in Burma, and December to October in Malaya.
Breeding tips
For best results, keep a group
of these birds together in a large aviary planted with tall grasses or a growth
of reeds in the corner for the birds to nest in. Allow the birds to chose their
own partners. Males will court females with the use of a song and courtship
dance which includes carrying a piece of grass and hopping on the perch beside
the hen. Receptive hens will crouch and tail-quiver, inviting copulation.
Mating is often followed by bill-fencing and mutual allo-preening. Nests
constructed of dried grass and fine twigs are built in dense reeds, tufts of
grass, palm trees, or thick bushes. Both parents share the tasks of nest
building, incubation, and chick rearing. Young hatch naked. For rearing food,
provide ample sprouted seed, egg food, and mealworms. After the young fledge,
they may continue to sleep in the nest for 1-3 weeks.
Life Cycle
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Clutch size:
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4-6 eggs
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Hatch date:
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After 12-15 days of incubation
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Fledge date:
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22-28 days of age
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Wean date:
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About 6-7 weeks of age
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