Tricoloured Munias (Lonchura malacca) in Pakistan

Sadly, it was not Islbirder who made this observation but on 13 July 2011 our friend Kamran photographed this TRICOLOURED MUNIA (also known as Black-headed Munia) at Marala Headworks near Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan. The photograph below was amongst a number that Kamran recently sent to me to provide identifications of the birds he had photographed, all at his favourite wildlife location.

Why am I so excited about this fairly innocuous Munia? Well, if it was a genuinely wild bird, this TRICOLOURED MUNIA, and the bird of the same species that accompanied it on that July day in 2011, could be the first two records of this species ever recorded in Pakistan.

However, before the birders of Pakistan get too excited and before these records could be accepted as Pakistan’s first we would have to prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that these were not escapes from captivity. Unfortunately, keeping birds in cages is a very popular hobby in Pakistan and Munias are a family of birds that are particularly popular with aviculturists. Kamran has seen for himself Tricoloured Munias in captivity in Lahore. This is not good evidence of the birds being of wild origin. The fact they were not easily approachable probably is!

Tricoloured Munia Kamran
Other questions we need to ask are about the timing of the sighting and where is the nearest genuinely wild breeding population of the species and are they migratory? Mid-July could just about fit into the extremes of early Finch return migration. However, Tricoloured Munia breeds during the Monsoon and is locally common in marshy areas with tall grasses and reeds. So, the habitat is right for a wild bird, as is the fact they are often associated with Streaked Weaver. However, as the Ripley Guide to the Birds of South Asia warns; “Escapes may occur anywhere”. Probably, the closest wild population breeds in Gujurat in India. Good news? The bad is that Munias are not known for their migratory habits. Could the birds that Kamran recorded be the vanguard of a range expansion? Maybe; although the chances of these records being accepted as genuinely wild birds by the Pakistan Records Committee is probably, at best, slim to nil. By the way, is there a Pakistan Records Committee?

Thanks to Kamran for sharing the details of this sighting, there hasn’t been a subsequent one, and allowing me to publish his photograph. So, please keep an eye open for Tricoloured Munias outside of cages and let me know if you see any in Pakistan.

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