Indian Silverbill

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Indian Silverbill

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Estrildidae
Genus:	Lonchura
Species:	L. malabarica

Binomial name

Lonchura malabarica
Linnaeus, 1758

The Indian Silverbill Lonchura malabarica also known as White-throated Munia is a small passerine bird formerly considered conspecific with the closely related African Silverbill, Lonchura cantans. This estrildid finch is a common resident breeding bird in most of Middle East and South Asia:Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Jordan (introduced), Kuwait (introduced), Oman, Puerto Rico (introduced), Qatar (introduced), Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, USA (introduced) and Virgin Islands (possibly extinct).

[edit] Characteristics

at Hodal in Faridabad District of Haryana, India.

The Indian Silverbill is a tiny gregarious bird which feeds mainly on seeds. It frequents dry open country and cultivation, especially near water. The nest is a large domed grass structure in a tree, into which 4–10 white eggs are laid.

The Indian Silverbill is 11–11.5 cm in length with a long black tail. The adult has a stubby silver-grey bill, buff-brown upperparts, white underparts and rump and dark wings. The sexes are similar, but immatures have buff underparts and a shorter tail.

[edit] References

BirdLife International (2004). Lonchura malabarica. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 8 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6

[edit] Galleria

Indian Silverbills (Lonchura malabarica) Kulish Smiriti Van (Bio-Diversity Forest) Jaipur, Rajasthan Pix 32551.jpg at Kulish Smiriti Van (Bio-Diversity Forest) Jaipur in Jaipur District of Rajasthan, India.	at Sindhrot in Vadodara District of Gujarat, India.	at Sindhrot in Vadodara District of Gujarat, India.	at Sindhrot in Vadodara District of Gujarat, India.
at Sindhrot in Vadodara District of Gujarat, India.	at Hodal in Faridabad District of Haryana, India.	near Hodal in Faridabad District of Haryana, India.