White-rumped Munia (Lonchura striata)
Order: PASSERIFORMES
Family: ESTRILDIDAE Munias
Scientific name: Lonchura striata
English name: White-rumped Munia
Characteristic: Size 11 cm. A small grain-eating bird with the upperpart dark brown streaked with paler markings; also dark brown colour covers from chin, neck, to breast; whitish belly. Distinct white rump patch is easily detected, as it stands out from the nearby light brown upper tail coverts.
Distribution: India, the Andamans, the Nicobars, Southern China, Hainan, Taiwan, Sumatra and SE Asia, except in Singapore.
Habitat: Keeps to the undergrowth in open situations in the dry evergreen forest, dipterocarp forest, orchards and grassfields.
Habit: This bird stays in small flock of 8-10 birds and wanders through grass fields, paddy fields, dense stands of seedlings on wayside, and dense undergrowth. Observed to forage both on the ground and on the vegetation, devouring grass seeds, ripe berries and small insects. At night they roost in mixed colonies with other munias in dense vegetation and in sugarcane fields. Breeds between May-August with a normal clutch of 3-5 eggs. The incubation period lasts 13-14 days.
Status: A common resident.
