The chestnut-breasted mannikin (Lonchura castaneothorax), also known as the chestnut-breasted munia or bully bird (in Australia), is a small brown-backed munia with a black face and greyish crown and nape. It has a broad ferruginous breast bar above a white belly. The species is found in Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. This species has also been introduced to French Polynesia.
The chestnut-breasted mannikin has a total of six subspecies and seven forms. The subspecies are as follows:[2]
L. c. castaneothorax – (Gould, 1837): nominate, occurs in eastern Australia.
L. c. assimilis – Mathews, 1910: occurs in northern Australia. Not recognized as a valid subspecies by some authorities.[3] Identification: Richer breast and cream ground color to belly and flanks.
L. c. ramsayi – Delacour, 1943: occurs in southeastern Papua New Guinea. Identification: Distinctive black head with faint scalloping. Female is more noticeable than the male.
L. c. boschmai – Junge, 1952: occurs in Lake Wissel area in Irian Jaya. Identification: Brown scallops on the flanks and paler to straw on the upper tail-coverts.
L. c. sharpii – (Madarász, 1894): occurs in Hollandia, Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea. Identification: Pale grey on the head, and dull upper tail-coverts.
L. c. uropygialis – Stresemann & Paludan, 1934: occurs in Geelvink Bay in western Irian Jaya. Identification: Grey on the head not so pale, and note orange on the long upper tail-coverts.
L. castaneothorax occurs in Tahiti. Apparently, it is descended from L. c. castaneothorax. They are distinguished today by having paler underparts and by the scalloping of the nape extended onto the mantle.
Habitatedit
In Australia, the chestnut-breasted mannikin is known as a bird of reed beds and rank grasses bordering rivers, in swamp, in grassy country, and mangroves. It is commonly found in cane fields and cereal crops. In dry seasons, it is seen in arid country but always near water. It is also found in grassy woodland.[4]
John Gould wrote of it (quoted in Cayley, 1932):[5]
I had not the good fourtune to meet with this bird in a state of nature, but I have been informed that it frequents reed beds bordering the banks of rivers and lagoons on the eastern coast, and that it much resembles the Bearded TitPanurus biarmicus, of Europe in the alertness with which it passes up and down the upright stems of reeds, from the lower part to the very top, a habit for which the lengthened and curved form of its claws seem well adapted.
In New Guinea, the chestnut-breasted mannikin is a bird of drier areas and does not usually seen in jungle roads and clearings where other munias such as grey-headed mannikin are found.
In French Polynesia, it is well established as an introduced species, and its habits have developed somewhat differently, indicating the adaptability of the species. It is widespread on the bracken-covered hill slopes, in pastures and gardens (it is not a garden bird in Australia), on cultivated land and wasteland, in forest ecotones and coconut plantations (Lever 1989).
Habits and foodedit
In Australia, during the breeding season chestnut-breasted mannikins are mostly seen in pairs, but in late autumn and winter months it congregates in large flocks, at times eating seeds of cereal crops.
Chestnut-breasted mannikin is a highly sociable species, flocking in large number outside the breeding season. Breeding birds will join groups or flocks when foraging.
It has a distinct liking for barley seed and thus the local people give it a name "barley bird".[5] The species is also fond of paspalum grass Paspalum longifolium, bullrush millet Pennisetum typhoides and Sorghum species. It has also been recorded that it feeds on feral millet Pannicum maximum and wild sugar cane Saccharum robustum in Papua New Guinea (Bapista 1990).
Galleryedit
Chestnut-breasted mannikin at Samsonvale Cemetery, SE Queensland
Chestnut-breasted mannikin, SE Queensland, Australia
A flock in Queensland in July
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2018). "Lonchura castaneothorax". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22719886A132133113. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22719886A132133113.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Gill, F.; Donsker, D., eds. (2014). "IOC World Bird List: Waxbills, parrotfinches, munias, whydahs, Olive Warbler, accentors & pipits". IOC World Bird List. doi:10.14344/IOC.ML.4.4. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
Interactive range map of Lonchura castaneothorax at IUCN Red List maps
Audio recordings of Chestnut-breasted mannikin on Xeno-canto.
December 02, 2023
chestnut, breasted, mannikin, chestnut, breasted, mannikin, lonchura, castaneothorax, also, known, chestnut, breasted, munia, bully, bird, australia, small, brown, backed, munia, with, black, face, greyish, crown, nape, broad, ferruginous, breast, above, white. The chestnut breasted mannikin Lonchura castaneothorax also known as the chestnut breasted munia or bully bird in Australia is a small brown backed munia with a black face and greyish crown and nape It has a broad ferruginous breast bar above a white belly The species is found in Australia New Caledonia Indonesia and Papua New Guinea This species has also been introduced to French Polynesia Chestnut breasted mannikinConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily EstrildidaeGenus LonchuraSpecies L castaneothoraxBinomial nameLonchura castaneothorax Gould 1837 SubspeciesL c castaneothorax L c assimilis L c ramsayi L c boschmai L c sharpii L c uropygialis range Contents 1 Subspecies and location 2 Habitat 3 Habits and food 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External linksSubspecies and location editThe chestnut breasted mannikin has a total of six subspecies and seven forms The subspecies are as follows 2 L c castaneothorax Gould 1837 nominate occurs in eastern Australia L c assimilis Mathews 1910 occurs in northern Australia Not recognized as a valid subspecies by some authorities 3 Identification Richer breast and cream ground color to belly and flanks L c ramsayi Delacour 1943 occurs in southeastern Papua New Guinea Identification Distinctive black head with faint scalloping Female is more noticeable than the male L c boschmai Junge 1952 occurs in Lake Wissel area in Irian Jaya Identification Brown scallops on the flanks and paler to straw on the upper tail coverts L c sharpii Madarasz 1894 occurs in Hollandia Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea Identification Pale grey on the head and dull upper tail coverts L c uropygialis Stresemann amp Paludan 1934 occurs in Geelvink Bay in western Irian Jaya Identification Grey on the head not so pale and note orange on the long upper tail coverts L castaneothorax occurs in Tahiti Apparently it is descended from L c castaneothorax They are distinguished today by having paler underparts and by the scalloping of the nape extended onto the mantle Habitat editIn Australia the chestnut breasted mannikin is known as a bird of reed beds and rank grasses bordering rivers in swamp in grassy country and mangroves It is commonly found in cane fields and cereal crops In dry seasons it is seen in arid country but always near water It is also found in grassy woodland 4 John Gould wrote of it quoted in Cayley 1932 5 I had not the good fourtune to meet with this bird in a state of nature but I have been informed that it frequents reed beds bordering the banks of rivers and lagoons on the eastern coast and that it much resembles the Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus of Europe in the alertness with which it passes up and down the upright stems of reeds from the lower part to the very top a habit for which the lengthened and curved form of its claws seem well adapted In New Guinea the chestnut breasted mannikin is a bird of drier areas and does not usually seen in jungle roads and clearings where other munias such as grey headed mannikin are found In French Polynesia it is well established as an introduced species and its habits have developed somewhat differently indicating the adaptability of the species It is widespread on the bracken covered hill slopes in pastures and gardens it is not a garden bird in Australia on cultivated land and wasteland in forest ecotones and coconut plantations Lever 1989 Habits and food editIn Australia during the breeding season chestnut breasted mannikins are mostly seen in pairs but in late autumn and winter months it congregates in large flocks at times eating seeds of cereal crops Chestnut breasted mannikin is a highly sociable species flocking in large number outside the breeding season Breeding birds will join groups or flocks when foraging It has a distinct liking for barley seed and thus the local people give it a name barley bird 5 The species is also fond of paspalum grass Paspalum longifolium bullrush millet Pennisetum typhoides and Sorghum species It has also been recorded that it feeds on feral millet Pannicum maximum and wild sugar cane Saccharum robustum in Papua New Guinea Bapista 1990 Gallery edit nbsp Chestnut breasted mannikin at Samsonvale Cemetery SE Queensland source source source source Chestnut breasted mannikin SE Queensland Australia nbsp A flock in Queensland in JulyReferences edit BirdLife International 2018 Lonchura castaneothorax IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T22719886A132133113 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T22719886A132133113 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Gill F Donsker D eds 2014 IOC World Bird List Waxbills parrotfinches munias whydahs Olive Warbler accentors amp pipits IOC World Bird List doi 10 14344 IOC ML 4 4 Retrieved 21 July 2015 Lonchura castaneothorax castaneothorax assimilis Avibase Slater Peter Slater Pat Slater Raoul 1986 The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds Sydney Australia Rigby ISBN 0 7270 2085 4 a b Cayley Neville W 1932 Australian finches in bush and aviary Angus amp Robertson Restall Robin January 1996 Munias and Mannikins ISBN 1 873403 51 8 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lonchura castaneothorax nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Lonchura castaneothorax BirdLife species factsheet for Lonchura castaneothorax Lonchura castaneothorax Avibase Chestnut breasted mannikin media Internet Bird Collection Interactive range map of Lonchura castaneothorax at IUCN Red List maps Audio recordings of Chestnut breasted mannikin on Xeno canto Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chestnut breasted mannikin amp oldid 1180824337, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
