Five-colored Munia
Lonchura quinticolor
A striking finch with a heavy silvery bill, a dark coppery hood, a brilliant white underside, and chestnut upperparts. Juveniles duller, with paler head and browner upperparts. Found in groups, sometimes with other finches, on or near the ground in open country, including croplands, grasslands, scrub, forest clearings, and very lightly wooded areas, in lowlands and foothills. Confined to the Lesser Sundas. On juvenile, note heavier bill and darker head than Pale-headed Munia. Gives weak, high-pitched “wi-wi-wi” calls and louder “tririp” notes.
Identification
The five-colored munia (Lonchura quinticolor) is a common species of estrildid finch found in the Lesser Sunda Islands. It inhabits many different habitats even in artificial landscapes, forest, shrubland and wet grassland habitats. The status of the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Taxonomy
Genus: Lonchura; Family: Estrildidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Lonchura quinticolor
- Authority
- (Vieillot, 1807)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Genus
- Lonchura
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds

Red-breasted Chat
Granatellus venustus
Easily overlooked, warblerlike bird of tropical forest in lowlands and foothills of west Mexico and extreme western Guatemala. Hops around, mainly at low levels in tangled understory, often fanning and waving around its rather long, white-edged tail. Male is striking, with red breast and bold black-and-white head pattern. Female-plumaged birds are seen more often and can be puzzling, but note buffy face and breast with a dark beady eye, mostly grayish upperparts, and white-edged tail.

White-fronted Scops-Owl
Otus sagittatus
Large for a scops-owl. This predominantly light brown species is most readily identified by its bright silvery-gray brow. Like other scops-owls, can be difficult to see; listen for its call, a series of low, rapid, trembling hoots that cuts off quickly. Predominantly found in lowland forest, though also ventures into lower foothills.

Black-cowled Saltator
Saltator nigriceps
Handsome gray-and-black cloud forest bird with a stout orange bill. It has a very restricted range in the Andes of northwestern Peru and southwestern Ecuador. The all-black hood without any white markings separates it from Golden-billed Saltator. Usually seen high in the forest canopy, where it frequently gives loud, ringing calls that can be heard over large distances.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.