Lonchura punctulata
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
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 Sepilok on a given day, based on 190 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 117th most-seen of the 242 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June–August, October and December–April
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Nutmeg Mannikin in Sepilok on a given day, against under 5% in May, September and November, the lowest months.
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.
22nd of 46
Of the 46 parks where we can rate Nutmeg Mannikin sightings, Sepilok ranks 22nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Udawalawe National Park (Sri Lanka, about 50%), Yala National Park (Sri Lanka, about 40%) and Bali Barat National Park (Indonesia, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same genus: Lonchura
The closest relatives of the Nutmeg Mannikin that you can see in Sepilok (genus Lonchura, Typical Munias and Mannikins) are Chestnut Munia (about 30%) and Dusky Munia (about 20%), 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 Sepilok (190 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
