Lonchura Genus
This Genus, known as Munias, Mannkins, Silverbills, whatever floats your boat, really, is a common genus throughout tropical Asia and Australia (with a few stragglers being found in Africa). They are more gregarious than other finches, living usually in more open habitats than other Estrildid finches. They often live in tall grasses, and will feed in the grass and on the floor. Within this Genus the species are very similar in build and palette, with a stubby bill, strong build and long tail. There are currently 38 species in the Genus, though sometimes the Silverbills are split into their own Genus (Clements 5 and 6) called Euodice, but I will refer to them as in the Lonchura Genus. Occasionally the Adavats (Strawberry Finch, Green Adavat and Orange-breasted Waxbill) are sometimes included in this genus, but the general consensus is to keep them in Genus Estrilda. This Genus is common in the pet trade, with most species cropping up here and there in the European market, though, Australia has a much more restricted selection of Munias
The Species Native to Australia include (and, in fact, are limited to) just two species, the Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, and the Yellow-rumped Mannikin, the Pictorella Mannikin, despite eluding to being in Lonchura, belongs to the monotypic genus Heteromunia. There is one introduced species in Australia, the Nutmeg Mannikin. For a time there was a feral population of Black-headed Munia in 'South-east Australia', I cannot find any more of a detailed location, which is now extinct in the Region.
The species kept in Australia Aviculture is as follows (According to the 2007 Inventory of Exotic (non-native) Bird Species known to be in Australia):
* Black-and-white Munia - Lonchura bicolor
* African Silverbill - Lonchura cantans
* White-capped Munia - Lonchura ferruginosa
* Grey-headed Silverbill - Lonchura griseicapilla
* Javan Munia - Lonchura leucogastroides
* White-headed Munia - Lonchura maja
* Indian Silverbill - Lonchura malabarica
* Tricoloured Munia - Lonchura malacca
* Scaly-breasted (Nutmeg) Mannikin - Lonchura punctulata
* White-rumped Munia - Lonchura striata
* Black-headed Munia - Lonchura atricapilla
* Chestnut-breasted Mannikin - Lonchura castaneothorax
* Yellow-rumped Mannikin - Lonchura flaviprymna
They build a nest which is a large, grass, domed structure and 4-10 white eggs are laid. Some species will build a communal roosting nest, where the colony retreats to every night. The name 'Mannikin' is derived from the Dutch for 'Little Man'.
The Taxonomy of this Genus is complicated, with the species being different according to the Taxonomic Authority you use. I will be using the checklist prepared by the International Ornithological Congress.
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin - Lonchura castaneothorax
Photo by Nrg800
Map created by Nrg800 with Data from Birdata, Eremaea, DECCW Atlas of NSW, Fauna Atlas N.T, Australian Museum Collection Data, Wikipedia, e-bird, Avibase
For a More Detailed, interactive Map, click here http://www.ala.org.au/explore/species-m ... 68176637cb
The Chestnut-breasted Mannikin is one of the three species of Mannikin regularly found in the Australia Wild. They are also common in Captivity. In the Wild these finches live in open grassland along waterways.The birds are native to Australia and New Guinea, though introduced populations have been seen in French Polynesia and New Caledonia. This species has 5 Subspecies, only one being found in Australia (L.c.casteneothorax) and all other four being found throughout New Guinea. In Australia, only the native race is available, and throughout the world this race has become semi-domesticated. In the rest of the world, however L.c.sharpii is available, though, being wild caught, inhibits their ease to keep.
This species is Monomorphic making it difficult to sex. They can only be reliably sexed by behaviour or DNA, but I have heard of people sexing them by the colour of their crown. The male has a more silvery colour and the female, a more brown. The female also has a narrower head than the male, but both of those differences you can only see when two are compared side by side, and even then it is not fully accurate. The best option is to buy multiple pairs.
Once established in an Aviary these birds breed readily, and do so well in a Colony situation, they are an easy birds to look after and are a good species for a mixed collection, though care must be put into what other species are kept with them, as they may harass smaller birds, and hybridse with the Lonchura Genus.
According to "The Handbook of avian hybrids of the world" the following Hybrids have been recorded:
* Bengalese Finches - These Hybrids are unusually strong and make good foster parents. All Males of fertile, but only 5% of females are.
* Yellow-rumped Mannikin - This hyrbid is common in Captivity, a large hybrid population occurs in the wild in North Australia, being especially prevalent in the Ord and Victoria river valleys. Peter Slater has been quoted as saying "“These two finches commonly interbreed, and I found many nests attended by one of both species. Nearly all Yellow-rumps show some signs of Chestnut-breasted markings. I feel sure the hybrids are fertile." The hybrids strongly resemble Yellow-rumped mannikins untill 3 years of age, though Hybrids are extremely variable
* Grand Munia - A Wild bird of this hybrid has been reported from near Port Morseby.
* White-headed Munia
* White-throated Silverbill - Young are Fertile
* Black-headed Munia - Male Young are fertile
* Nutmeg Mannikin - Hybrids are regularly recorded in both captivity and the wild. Female Nutmeg, Male Chestnut-breasted. Young are not Firtile
* White-rumped Munia - Recorded in Captivity, Male White-rumped, Female Chestnut-breasted
* Grey-headed Munia - Regularly recorded in East New Guinea
* African Silverbill - Recorded in Captivity, Female Silverbill, Male Chestnut-breasted
* Long-tailed Finch (Hecks) - Recorded in Captivity, Female Long-tailed, Male Chestnut-breasted
* Masked Finch - Recorded in Captivity, Female Masked, Male Chestnut-breasted
* Pictorella Mannikin - Recorded in Captivity, Male Pictorella, Female Chestnut-breasted
* Double-barred (Owl) Finch - Recorded in Captivity, Female Double-barred, Male Chestnut-breasted
* Zebra Finch - Recorded in captivity.
Though the above is simply a list of formally described hybrids. I wouldn't house Chestnut-breasted Mannikins with any other Lonchura, and only with Zebras, Owl, Pictorella, Masked or Long-tailed when all birds have a partner of their on species that they can bump uglies with.
When Housing the Chestnut-breasted Mannikin it is important to think of their wild ecology. They will often live in Tall reed-beds or Grasses and it is important to include this in an aviary when planning one. Although they can be bred in a cabinet it is very much recommended to keep them in an aviary. Young Chestnut-breasted Mannikins can be destructive to the aviary plants, so, if possible, it is often better to move the young to a Parrot-style aviary untill they colour up. The Chestnut-breasted Mannikins are one of the most fitting birds to breed in a Colony situation, with wild birds being extremely gregarious living in flocks upto 100 strong the only limit to the number of birds you can keep is the size of your aviary. One must be careful, however, that there are no spare cock birds in the aviary, with a single cock being able to disrupt many breeding pairs.
The Diet of these birds differs slightly from birds such as Zebra Finches or Gouldians. Chestnut-breasted Mannikins require seeding grasses, some fruits, Leafy vegetables, Soaked and sprouting seed and Live food to breed successfully. Like other members of the Lonchura genus Chestnut-breasted Mannikins can eat much larger seed than other finches, with Large Millet and White Prosso often being given to them. As with all other finches good-quality seed mix and grit is also needed.
Their natural Habitat is clumps of Rank, tall grass in damp environments, wet grassland, swamp margins and swampy heath. Mangroves, Cane fields and rice paddies. They are one of the few finches that have benefited enormously from human colonization. In the breeding season the large flocks keep fairly close, forming a loose breeding colony. When feeding birds climb strong grass stems to snip away at the seed heads.
Chestnut-breasted Mannikins usually rather to build their nest, compared to taking a nest box, though I have heard of them being breed in Baskets and Half-open Nesting-Boxes. Their nest is small, tall, domed ovoid of dry grasses, with a fine grass lining. Upto 2m from the ground in tall grass, reeds, scrub, sugar-cane, or other types of large crop.
They will breed throughout the year if conditions are suitable, though the major breeding occurs between spring and Autumn. The Hen incubates the eggs overnight, though both parents will contribute during the day,
They lay a clutch of 5-8 eggs twice a year, after an incubation of 13 days the eggs hatch, and fledge 21 days after that, they are not independent for another month, however. Young should be separated from the parents after they become fully independent.
Despite the social nature of these birds they do not create a Roosting-nest.
There are no particular health effects relating to just this bird. They should be treated like any other finch in that way.
There are no mutation established in Captivity, though I have seen pictures of a bird with a black Belly
Information on more species will come shortly, and will be edited into the post.
~Nathan
l. Actually I suspect he would be pleased to know that there was strong interest in finches.