Aug 9
July 22, 2026 - Black Munia or Black Mannikin (Lonchura stygia) Found in parts of southern New Guinea, these estrildid finches live in savannas, marshes, flooded grasslands, and cultivated areas. Foraging in flocks of up to 20, sometimes with other species, they eat the seeds of grasses, including rice. They build covered nests with side entrances from dry grass blades and seed heads in tall floating grasses. Females lay clutches of four to six eggs. Though they are classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, their population may be slowly declining due to habitat destruction and trapping for the cage-bird trade.
