Indian Silverbill
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
| Lonchura malabarica Linnaeus, 1758 |
The Indian Silverbill Lonchura malabarica also known as White-throated Munia is a small passerine bird formerly considered conspecific with the closely related African Silverbill, Lonchura cantans. This estrildid finch is a common resident breeding bird in most of Middle East and South Asia: Bangladesh, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Jordan (introduced), Kuwait (introduced), Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Puerto Rico (introduced), Qatar (introduced), Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, USA (introduced) and Virgin Islands (possibly extinct).
[edit] Characteristics
The Indian Silverbill is a tiny gregarious bird which feeds mainly on seeds. It frequents dry open country and cultivation, especially near water. The nest is a large domed grass structure in a tree, into which 4–10 white eggs are laid.
The Indian Silverbill is 11–11.5 cm in length with a long black tail. The adult has a stubby silver-grey bill, buff-brown upperparts, white underparts and rump and dark wings. The sexes are similar, but immatures have buff underparts and a shorter tail.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Lonchura malabarica. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 08 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6
