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{{Short description|Genus of birds}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Munia
| image = Chestnut-breasted Mannikin444.jpg
| image_caption = Chestnut-breasted munia ''[[Lonchura castaneothorax]]''
| taxon = Lonchura
| authority = [[William Henry Sykes|Sykes]], 1832
| type_species = ''[[Scaly-breasted munia|Fringilla nisoria]]'' = ''Loxia punctulata nisoria''
| type_species_authority = [[Coenraad Jacob Temminck|Temminck]] 1830
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
See text
}}
'''''Lonchura''''' is a [[genus]] of the [[estrildid finch]] family, and includes '''munias''' (or '''minias''') and '''mannikins'''. They are seed-eating birds that are found in [[South Asia]] from [[India]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Sri Lanka]] east to [[Indonesia]], [[Papua New Guinea]], and the [[Philippines]]. The name '''mannikin''' is from Middle Dutch ''mannekijn'' 'little man' (also the source of the different bird name [[manakin]]).<ref>''New Oxford American Dictionary'' (2nd ed., 2005), p. 1032.</ref>

Some of the ''Lonchura'' species were formerly placed in ''Spermestes''. Others have been placed in a genus of their own, ''[[Euodice]]''.

==Characteristics==
They are small gregarious birds which feed mainly on seeds, usually in relatively open habitats, preferring to feed on the ground or on reeds of grasses. Several species have been noted to feed on algae such as ''[[Spirogyra]]''.<ref>{{ cite journal | last=Pillai | first=N.G. | date=1968 | title=The green algae, ''Spirogyra'' sp., in the diet of the White-backed Munia, ''Lonchura striata'' (Linn.) | journal=The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society | volume=65 | issue=2 | pages=490-491 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48068013 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite journal | last=Avery | first=Michael L. |date=1980 | title=Diet and breeding seasonality among a population of sharp-tailed munias, ''Lonchura striata'' in Malaysia | journal=The Auk | volume=97 | issue=1 | pages=160-166 | url=https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v097n01/p0160-p0166.pdf }}</ref>

The nest is a large domed grass structure into which four to ten white eggs are laid. Some species also build [[communal roosting]] nests for overnight rest.

The species in this genus are similar in size and structure, with stubby bills, stocky bodies and long tails. Most are 10–12 cm in length. Plumage is usually a combination of browns, black and white, with the sexes similar, but duller and less contrasted for immature birds.

The similarities within this group and the existence of subspecies with differing vocalisations and plumage mean that some races may be elevated to species status. [[African silverbill|African]] and [[Indian silverbill]] are now usually considered distinct species in the Genus ''[[Euodice]]'', and the two races of [[black-throated munia]] are often also split.

The munias are popular in the bird trade and many freed or escaped birds have formed [[feral]] colonies in different pockets across the world.

The [[red munia]] ''Amandava amandava'' and [[green munia]] ''Amandava formosa'' also take the name munia, but are in the genus ''[[Amandava]]''.

==Taxonomy==
The genus ''Lonchura'' was introduced by the English naturalist [[William Henry Sykes]] in 1832.<ref>{{ cite journal | last=Sykes | first=William Henry | author-link=William Henry Sykes | year=1832 | title=Catalogue of birds of the raptorial and insessorial orders (systematically arranged,) observed in the Dukhun | journal=Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London | volume=2 | issue=18 | pages=77–99 [94] | url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12861692 }}</ref> The name combines the [[Ancient Greek]] ''lonkhē'' meaning "spear-head" or "lance" with ''oura'' meaning "tail".<ref>{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | page=229 }}</ref> Sykes included three species in the genus and of these the [[type species]] was designated as ''Fringilla nisoria'' [[Coenraad Jacob Temminck|Temminck]] 1830 by [[Arend Friedrich August Wiegmann|Arend Wiegmann]] in 1835. This taxon is now a [[subspecies]], ''Loxia punctulata nisoria'', of the [[scaly-breasted munia]].<ref>{{ cite journal | last=Wiegmann | first=Arend | author-link=Arend Friedrich August Wiegmann | date=1835 | title=Bericht über die Fortschritte der Zoologie im Jahre 1834, vom Herausgeber | journal=Archiv für Naturgeschichte | volume=1 | issue=2 | pages=255-348 [306] | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13702943 }}</ref><ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date=July 2023 | title=Waxbills, parrotfinches, munias, whydahs, Olive Warbler, accentors, pipits | work=IOC World Bird List Version 13.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/waxbills/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=30 July 2023 }}</ref>

===Species===
The genus contains 28 species:<ref name=ioc/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Image !! Common Name !! Scientific name !! Distribution
|-
|[[File:Lonchura punctulata (Nagarhole, 2004).jpg|120px]] || [[Scaly-breasted munia]] also known as nutmeg mannikin or spice finch || ''Lonchura punctulata'' || Indian Subcontinent, including Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
|-
|[[File:Lonchura kelaarti jerdoni.jpg|120px]] || [[Black-throated munia]] also known as Jerdon's mannikin|| ''Lonchura kelaarti'' || southwest India, the Eastern Ghats and Sri Lanka
|-
|[[File:Black-faced Munia - Sulawesi MG 5777 (22799479470) (cropped).jpg|120px]] || [[Black-faced munia]] || ''Lonchura molucca'' || Indonesia
|-
|[[File:White-rumped Munia 13.jpg|120px]] || [[White-rumped munia]] || ''Lonchura striata'' || Indian subcontinent to southern China east to Taiwan, and through Southeast Asia south to Sumatra
|-
|[[File:Lonch fuscan 090809-10430 klr.jpg|120px]] || [[Dusky munia]] || ''Lonchura fuscans'' || Borneo
|-
| || [[White-bellied munia]] || ''Lonchura leucogastra'' || Malay Peninsula to Philippines
|-
|[[File:Javan munia - Flickr - Lip Kee.jpg|120px]] || [[Javan munia]] || ''Lonchura leucogastroides'' ||Southern Sumatra, Java, Bali and Lombok, Indonesia. Introduced in Singapore and south Malay Peninsula
|-
|[[File:Tricoloured munia.jpg|120px]] || [[Tricolored munia]] || ''Lonchura malacca'' || southern India and Sri Lanka
|-
|[[File:Lonchura atricapilla jagori -Cebu-8-3c.jpg|120px]] || [[Chestnut munia]] || ''Lonchura atricapilla'' || Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Hawaii
|-
||| [[White-capped munia]] || ''Lonchura ferruginosa'' || Java and Bali
|-
|[[File:White-headed Munia - Carita - West Java MG 3548 (29543341220).jpg|120px]] || [[White-headed munia]] || ''Lonchura maja'' ||Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam
|-
|[[File:Pale-headed Munia - Sulawesi MG 5795 (22595325609).jpg|120px]] || [[Pale-headed munia]] || ''Lonchura pallida'' || Indonesia
|-
|[[File:Lonchura grandis 2.jpg|120px]] || [[Great-billed mannikin]] || ''Lonchura grandis'' || northern and eastern New Guinea
|-
| || [[Black-breasted mannikin]] || ''Lonchura teerinki'' || West Papua, Indonesia
|-
| || [[Western alpine mannikin]] || ''Lonchura montana'' ||New Guinea
|-
| || [[Eastern alpine mannikin]] || ''Lonchura monticola'' ||Papua
|-
||| [[Grey-banded mannikin]] || ''Lonchura vana'' ||north-west Papua, Indonesia
|-
| || [[Grey-crowned mannikin]] || ''Lonchura nevermanni'' ||southern New Guinea
|-
|[[File:Gray-headed Munia - Papua NG H3 (22568855948).jpg|120px]] || [[Grey-headed mannikin]] || ''Lonchura caniceps'' || Papua
|-
| || [[Hooded mannikin]] || ''Lonchura spectabilis'' ||New Britain and New Guinea
|-
| || [[Forbes's mannikin]] || ''Lonchura forbesi'' || Papua New Guinea
|-
|[[File:DonacicolaHunsteiniKeulemans.jpg|120px]] || [[Mottled mannikin]] || ''Lonchura hunsteini'' || New Ireland
|-
| || [[New Hanover mannikin]] || ''Lonchura nigerrima'' || New Hannover
|-
| || [[Yellow-rumped mannikin]] || ''Lonchura flaviprymna'' || Northern Territory, Australia
|-
||| [[Five-colored munia]] || ''Lonchura quinticolor'' ||Lesser Sunda Islands
|-
|[[File:Chestnut-breasted Munia samcem08.JPG|120px]] || [[Chestnut-breasted mannikin]] || ''Lonchura castaneothorax'' || Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
|-
||| [[Black mannikin]] || ''Lonchura stygia'' || New Guinea, Papua, Papua New Guinea
|-
| || [[Buff-bellied mannikin]] || ''Lonchura melaena'' || New Britain and Buka Island
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q852860}}

[[Category:Lonchura| ]]
[[Category:Bird genera]]
[[Category:Taxa named by William Henry Sykes]]

Lonchura - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article