Lonchura punctulata
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
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.
The species is endemic to Asia and occurs from India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and the Philippines (where it is called mayang pakíng). It has been introduced into many other parts of the world, and feral populations have established in Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, as well as parts of Australia, and the United States of America, with sightings in California. The bird is listed as of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raipur | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Vasai-Virar | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Phnom Penh | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | |
| 4 | Taichung | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 5 | Bangkok | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 6 | Kalyan-Dombivli | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Jakarta | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 8 | Yogyakarta | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 9 | Ho Chi Minh City | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 10 | Nashik | 🇮🇳 India |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aquarium of Genoa | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 2 | Kyiv Zoo | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | |
| 3 | Taronga Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Vogelpark Avifauna | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | |
| 5 | Taman Indonesia | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Nutmeg Mannikin sighting in Jinhua on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 63rd most-seen of the 74 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Nutmeg Mannikin in Jinhua on a given day, against about 10% in April–June and August–November, the lowest months. That is one of Jinhua's driest months, with about 65 mm of rain against 300 mm in June. January–March and July have too few records to rate.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Nutmeg Mannikin sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
72nd of 118
Of the 118 cities where we can rate Nutmeg Mannikin sightings, Jinhua ranks 72nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Raipur (India, about 70%), Vasai-Virar (India, about 60%) and Phnom Penh (Cambodia, about 60%).
Same order: Passeriformes
The closest relatives of the Nutmeg Mannikin that you can see in Jinhua (order Passeriformes, Perching Birds) are Light-vented Bulbul (about 70%), Cinereous Tit (about 60%) and Long-tailed Shrike (about 60%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Nutmeg Mannikin is recorded against all the birds logged in Jinhua (6 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
