Black-headed Munia or Chestnut Munia

Finch Information ... Finch Species ... Finch Photo Gallery ... Finch Diseases ... Finch / Canary Diet / Nutrition ... Books, DVDs and Other Media about Finches

Finch Data: Range, Length, Clutch-size and Incubation Periods for each Finch Species

Chestnut Munia, Lonchura atricapilla


Black-headed Munia The Black-headed Munia, Lonchura atricapilla, is also known as Chestnut Muni. Chestnut Mannikin, Black-headed Nun, Black-headed Mannikin, Southern Black-headed Munia or "Black Hooded Nun".

It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Tricolored Munia (Lonchura malacca atricapilla)


Distribution / Range

The Black-headed Munia is found in Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

They inhabit open grassland and cultivation.

Combined distribution of Tricoloured Munia (Lonchura malacca) and Black-headed Munia


Chestnut Munia, Lonchura atricapilla Characteristics

The Black-headed Munia averages 11–12 cm in length.

Males and females look alike - but only the male sings. The adult plumage is mostly brown, except for the black head. Some races also have a black abdomen. They have a stubby pale grey beak.

Young birds are pale brown above, and lack the black head of the adult. They are pale buff below Immature birds are indistinguishable from juvenile White-headed Nuns (Lonchura. maja) and juvenile Scaly-breasted Munias (Lonchura punctulata).


Recognized Subspecies

  • Lonchura atricapilla atricapilla (Nominate): Indian - Black-headed Munia, Eastern Black-headed Munia, Indian Chestnut Munia
  • Lonchura atricapilla rubroniger: Nepal Black-headed Munia
  • Lonchura atricapilla sinensis: Malaysian Chestnut Munia, Chinese Chestnut Munia
  • Lonchura atricapilla formosana: Formosan Chestnut Munia, Taiwan Chestnut Munia, Taiwan Black-headed Munia, Grey-faced Munia
  • Lonchura atricapilla deignani: Deignan's Chestnut Munia, Indochina Chestnut Munia
  • Lonchura atricapilla brunneiceps: Brown-headed Munia
  • Lonchura atricapilla jagori: Philippine Chestnut Munia, Philippine Munia, Philippine Black-headed Munia
  • Lonchura atricapilla selimbauensis: Selimbau Chestnut Munia
  • Lonchura atricapilla obscura: Dark-backed Chestnut Munia
  • Lonchura atricapilla batakana: Batakana Chestnut Munia, Batakana Munia
Black-headed Munia, Lonchura atricapilla

Diet / Feeding

The Black-headed Munia feeds mainly on grain and other seeds..


Nesting / Breeding

Its nest is a large domed grass structure situated in a bush or tall grass. The average clutch consists of 4 to 7 white eggs.


Calls / Vocalizations

Only the male sings. His song sounds similar to a kitten mewing. The call begins with a sries of almost inaudible clicks, followed by an extended whine, then terminates in a series of slurred notes.

Molting Chestnut Munia - molting Black-headed Munia, Lonchura atricapilla



High Quality Species Photos, Videos and/or Articles Contributions are welcome! Upload your Articles and Images

Please Note: The images on this page are the sole property of the photographers (unless marked as Public Domain). Please contact the photographers directly with respect to any copyright or licensing questions. Thank you.

The Avianweb strives to maintain accurate and up-to-date information; however, mistakes do happen. If you would like to correct or update any of the information, please send us an e-mail. THANK YOU!



Avianweb LLC:© Copyright Policies| Disclaimers | We respect your privacy: Site Privacy Policy | For questions or comments, please contact Website Administrator: Sibylle F. Johnson

Any content published on this site is commentary or opinion, and is protected under Free Speech. It is only provided for educational and entertainment purposes, and is in no way intended as a substitute for professional advice. Avianweb assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of any of the published material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms.

Google+Tweet

Wildlife Home Page


Popular Bird Species

  • Bee-eaters
  • Birds of Prey
  • Bluebirds
  • Cardinals / Red Birds
  • Cranes
  • Chicken (Backyard)
  • Crows
  • Doves
  • Ducks
  • Figbirds
  • Geese
  • Hummingbirds
  • Kingfishers
  • Nighthawks / Nightjars

  • Owls
  • Parrots
  • Pheasants
  • Pigeons
  • Purple Martins
  • Robins
  • Softbills
  • Sparrows
  • Swans
  • Thrushes
  • Toucans
  • Warblers
  • Woodpeckers
  • Wrens


Attracting Birds & Other Wildlife to your Garden

Resolving Backyard Wildlife Problems


The Impact of Plastic Waste on our Oceans

  • Home
  • Pet Bird Web
  • Breeder's Web
  • Wild Bird Web
  • Products
  • Contact / Uploads