Pale-headed Munia

Lonchura pallida

The pale-headed munia is a species of estrildid finch native to eastern Indonesia and Timor-Leste. It inhabits subtropical and tropical lowlands, dry shrubland, grassland, marshes and agricultural areas. The species has shown recent range expansion due to increasing agriculture and land clearance. It has recently crossed the Wallace Line to establish breeding populations on Nusa Penida, and is now recorded on Bali. It has also become an increasingly frequent vagrant in northwestern Australia from the 2020s onward, with arrivals likely aided by monsoon winds and cyclones.

Scientific name

Lonchura pallida

Family

Waxbills and Allies

IUCN status

LC