Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pale-headed Munia
Lonchura pallida
Pale-headed Munia (Lonchura pallida) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pale-headed Munia (Lonchura pallida) is a member of the Estrildidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 12 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Estrildidae Waxbills, Munias & Allies
- Genus Lonchura
- Species pallida
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pale-headed Munia is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Pale-headed Munia is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Pale-headed Munia (Lonchura pallida) belongs to the Estrildidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Sulawesi and Lesser Sundas.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12 g, with a wing length of about 5.2 cm and a tail of around 3.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 226,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pale-headed Munia?
The Pale-headed Munia is a very small bird that weighs around 12 g.
Where does the Pale-headed Munia live?
The Pale-headed Munia is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Sulawesi and Lesser Sundas, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Pale-headed Munia belong to?
The Pale-headed Munia (Lonchura pallida) belongs to the Estrildidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Pale-headed Munia eat?
The Pale-headed Munia is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Pale-headed Munia migrate?
The Pale-headed Munia is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Pale-headed Munia endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Pale-headed Munia's range?
The Pale-headed Munia has a mapped global range of about 226,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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