The Indian silverbill or white-throated munia (Lonchura malabarica) is a small passerine bird found in the Indian Subcontinent and adjoining regions. This estrildid finch is a common resident breeding bird in the drier regions of the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent.
Sunday came with a threat of cloudy skies and drizzle all over the day, but Prem Sharma, Raminder Singh, Jayant Verma and me decided to take a chance and drive down, as planned to Keoladev Ghana Bird Sanctuary at Bharatpur, Rajasthan. The decision proved correct and we all had a wonderful day there. Immensely enjoying and fruitful.
The Indian silverbill or white-throated munia (Lonchura malabarica) is a small passerine bird found in the Indian Subcontinent and adjoining regions. This estrildid finch is a common resident breeding bird in the drier regions of the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent.
The adult Indian silverbill is 11–11.5 cm long and has a conical silver-grey bill, buff-brown upperparts, white underparts, buffy flanks and dark wings. The tail is black and the wings are dark contrasting with a white rump. The sexes are similar, but immatures have buff underparts and a shorter tail. The tail appears pointed as the length of the feathers reduces from the centre outwards. It feeds mainly on seeds, but also takes insects and has been known to visit nectar bearing flowers, such as those of Erythrina trees.
It frequents dry open scrub, fallow land and cultivation, sometimes near water. Although mainly found on the plains, they can be found up to about 1200 m in some sub-Himalayan regions.
COPYRIGHT © 2023 NEERAJ GARG