Lonchura Punctulata

Scientific Name: Lonchura punctulata

Origin: India and Sri Lanka

The Spice Bird is one of the most popular of the mannikin family. Hardy and easy to manage, it is an ideal species for the novice fancier.

Description:

Size: 13 cm (41/2 in)

COCK:

Head: chocolate brown. Upperparts: brown. Under parts: white and each feather is edged with dark brown. Beak: grey. Legs: brownish-grey. Eyes: black. Tail: dark brown.

HEN:

Alike, so sexing cannot he done by appearance. Listen for the unusual buzzing, humming song of the cock bird. If possible, purchase several birds to encourage them to select their own mates.

Diet: (Seedeater)

Plain canary seed and mixed millets form the basic diet. Millet sprays and green-food are also enjoyed. Grit and cuttlefish bone must always he provided.

It can be housed outside throughout the year and only requires a dry, frost-proof shelter for roosting during winter.

Breeding:

Spice Birds are not particularly keen breeders, but do go to nest under the right conditions. Nest boxes and wicker baskets should be provided in secluded places, such as shrub berries. Pairs make their own nests inside boxes or baskets with soft grasses, mosses and feathers. They desert their nests at the slightest noise or disturbance.

Four to eight eggs are laid and the incubation period is 13 days. The parents should be kept well supplied with sprouted seeds, millet sprays, green food and insects.

Should a pair fail to try to rear their young, Bengalese may be used as foster parents. Bengalese often interbreeds with this specie. They come from the same family (Lonchura). Parent reared Spice Birds may be kept with their family to form a small colony.

Lonchura Punctulata Information

• The bird is locally known as scaly breasted munia, nutmeg manikin or spice finch.
• The bird is seen in tropical Asia, like the southern parts of India, Srilanka to Indonesia and Plhilipines. The bird has been manually introduced to the courtiers like Puerto Rico and Hispaniola where they have spread to the lowland areas. The bird is also introduced to places like California in USA and east coast of Australia.
• The bird stays in small groups. They are found in a flight of 15 birds.
• The birds are spotted in regions like open woodlands and areas of cultivation.

The following information is on safe breeding of the bird.
• Keep a number of birds in the aviary so that the birds are given the opportunity to choose their own breed.
• In stead of a cage keep the birds in an aviary for promoting successful copulation and nesting. The birds can rear their cheeks better in a community aviary than in a cage as a lone pair.
• Offer them with a dome shaped nesting basket as they generally builds up a dome shaped nest in wild. You may also allow them to build their own nests by offering them with nest building materials like long grasses, bamboo leaves, plant steps and coconut fibers.