Journal of Threatened
Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 July 2024 | 16(7): 25627–25629
ISSN 0974-7907
(Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print)
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.8856.16.7.25627-25629
#8856 | Received 26 November 2023 | Final received 11 June 2024 | Finally
accepted 09 July 2024
First record of Scaly-breasted
Munia Lonchura punctulata
(Linnaeus, 1758) (Aves: Passeriformes: Estrildidae)
from Kashmir, India
Shazia Shafayat
¹, Fayaz Ahmad Ahanger
², Tariq Ahmad ³, Bilal A. Bhat ⁴ & Zakir
Hussain Najar ⁵
1,3,4,5 Department of Zoology, University
of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir
190001, India.
2 Department of Zoology, Government
Degree College Ganderbal, Jammu & Kashmir 191201,
India.
¹ ssshafayat006@gmail.com,
² ahangerfayaz@gmail.com, ³ drtariqento@kashmiruniversity.ac.in,
⁴ bilalwildlife@gmail.com, ⁵ zakirnajar1@gmail.com
(corresponding author)
Editor: Carol
Inskipp, Bishop Auckland Co., Durham, UK.
Date of publication: 26 July 2024 (online & print)
Citation: Shafayat, S., F.A. Ahanger, T.
Ahmad, B.A. Bhat & Z.H. Najar (2024). First
record of Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Aves: Passeriformes: Estrildidae) from Kashmir, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 16(7): 25627–25629. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.8856.16.7.25627-25629
Copyright: © Shafayat et al. 2024. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and
distribution of this article in any medium by providing adequate credit to the
author(s) and the source of publication.
Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency.
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgements: The authors are highly thankful to
Department of Wildlife Protection, Jammu and Kashmir, for granting the
necessary permission to carry out work in north Kashmir. A
special thanks go out to Deputy Commissioner Baramulla for granting permission
in sensitive zones.
Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata
is a small-sized bird from the family Estrildidae,
commonly known as waxbills, grass finches, or the munia family. Scaly-breasted
Munia is also sometimes referred to as Spotted Munia. This bird is indigenous
to Asia with a broad geographic range, including India, China, Bangladesh,
Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, and Vietnam (Arigela et al. 2020; Bird Life
International 2023). It has been introduced to Australia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico,
Florida, Japan, and California. In Oahou and Hawaii
this introduction has led to the establishment of wild populations that compete
with other munia species, such as Tricolored Munias Lonchura
malacca, which were also introduced at the same
time (Moulton et al. 1992; Payne 2020). Scaly-breasted Munias live in wet and
high grasslands, often with other munias. They eat grass seeds, berries, algae,
and insects (Payne 2020). They roost in bushes, trees, and cycas
plants. In southern India and Indonesia, they are considered crop pests.
Current literature reports
Scaly-breasted Munia in Jammu province of the Union Territory of Jammu &
Kashmir, India which is ecologically different from Kashmir (Grimmet et al. 2011; Suhail et al. 2020). Here we present
Scaly-breasted Munia from Kashmir province with photographic evidence (Image
1–4). During our field surveys, Scaly-breasted Munia, was observed at three
locations, viz., Kaman post Uri, Salamabad Uri, and Ladoora area in Baramulla District along the river Jhelum
(Image 5). Initially the bird was sighted at Kaman post (34.100°N &
74.022°E) on 2 September 2022, at 1022 h perching on the transmission wires.
During a second visit on 17 June 2023 in the Salamabad
area (34.095°N & 74.022°E), a flock of Scaly-breasted Munias was sighted at
1430 h near the hydropower project dam. The third sighting took place at the Ladoora (34.252°N & 74.401°E) area of Baramulla on 21
July 2023 at 1500 h. The bird was observed near a footbridge, perching on an
electric wire, and feeding on grass. The first author is investigating riverine
bird diversity, conducting comprehensive bird surveys in the area to identify,
and document bird species. As munias are popular cage birds, the birds seen in
Kashmir could be escapees. As munias have been successfully introduced in many
countries, they are hardy enough to establish wild populations by the escaped
birds from the cages. Many times, people become tired of their pet birds and
release them. Most do not survive, but many species (e.g., munias, parakeets, mynas)
survive and establish wild populations.
The bird is characterized by its
rich reddish-brown plumage, notably darker on the chin, and throat (Image 1–4).
The breast and belly display a striking contrast, appearing white with black
feather edges that create a scaled pattern which distinguishes the bird from
other munias. The mantle, back, and wings exhibit a slightly paler and duller
hue, adorned with subtle barring, and occasionally more prominent pale shaft
streaks. The bird’s eyes have a dark brown to brownish-red iris, the bill is
blackish, and the lower mandible may exhibit a paler bluish-grey shade. The
rump showcases distinctive dark brown and whitish or yellowish bars, while the
upper tail coverts feature a subdued golden-yellow to orange-brown coloration.
The species was identified using Grimmett et al.
(2011).
The bird is a new member to the
avifaunal diversity of Kashmir, India. There is limited scientific
investigation into the avian diversity inhabiting the northern Kashmir, which
needs scientific attention in the form of intensive surveys.
For images
- - click here full PDF
References
Arigela, R.K., N. Siddabathula,
K. Prasad & R.K. Singh (2020). Preferent
wild grasses of Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura
punctulata in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and
Telangana. NeBIO 11(1): 13–17.
Birdlife
International (2023). Downloaded on 15/06/2021. Species factsheet: Lonchura
punctulata.
http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/scaly-breasted-munia-lonchura-punctulata
Grimmett , R., C. Inskipp
& T. Inskipp (2011). Helm Field Guides Birds of
the Indian Subcontinent. Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 528 pp.
Moulton,
M.P., L.J. Allen & D.K. Ferris (1992). Competition, resource use and
habitat selection in two introduced Hawaiian Mannikins. Biotropica 1: 77–85.
Payne, R.B.
(2020). Scaly-breasted
Munia Lonchura punctulata,
version 1.0. In: del Hoyo, J.A., J. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D.A. Christie & E. de Juana (eds.). Birds
of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.nutman.01
Suhail, I., R. Ahmad & K.
Ahmad (2020). Avifaunal
diversity in Jammu and Kashmir State, pp. 897–831. In: Dar, G.H. & A.A. Khuroo (eds.). Biodiversity of the Himalaya: Jammu and
Kashmir State, Topics in Biodiversity and Conservaton.
Springer Nature, Singapore, 1100 pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9174-4_35