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Javan munia (Lonchura leucogastroides)

Bondol jawa or emprit jawa or pipit jawa or Javan munia (Lonchura leucogastroides) is a species of estrildid finch or Estrildidae, rice and grain eaters. These small birds with beaks from the tip to the tail of about 11 cm are often found in rural and urban environments near rice fields and making nests on tree branches.

L. leucogastroides has a back, wings and upper sides dark brown without scribbling. The upper face, neck and chest are black, while the lower chest, abdomen and sides of the body are pure white which appears to contrast with the brownish, lower tail and brown eye iris.

Dlium Javan munia (Lonchura leucogastroides)

Young Javan munia has a yellowish brown chest and abdomen. The beak is black at the top and bluish gray at the bottom, while the legs are grayish. Birds often descends to the ground or swings on the flower stalks of grass and visit rice fields, grasslands, vegetated open fields and gardens to eat rice and various seeds.

Bondol jawa generally live in pairs or in small groups and mix with other Lonchura species including bondol peking (Lonchura punctulata). The group initially consisted of only a few birds, but in the rice harvest this group grew to hundreds. Large groups are considered as pests and are very detrimental to rice farmers.



Pipit jawa often nest in home yards and lush trees at an altitude of 2 - 10 meters above the ground. Looks striking in the afternoon when flying and alighting together in a tree as a bed. Spherical nests are built in layers of grass leaves and flowers, placed hidden between leaves and twigs or in the palm leaf gap.

Emprit jawa breed throughout the year where each time they lay 4-5 white eggs and measure around 14 x 10 mm. This bird sings smoothly, cri-ii, cri-i ... or ci-ii ... and pit ... pit ... But in groups, especially when perched together, these sounds become noise. Likewise the sound of newly hatched chicks.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Estrildidae
Genus: Lonchura
Species: L. leucogastroides

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