According to eBird, Scaly-breasted Munias have been found in the last month in California from San Luis Obispo to the Mexican border near Tijuana.
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| Scaly-breasted Munia (thick bill partially hidden by leaf). Carlsbad, California. October, 2015. Greg Gillson. |
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| Juvenile male Scaly-breasted Munia. |
I've seen these birds just about 5 times now in San Diego County. They are truly tiny birds, only 4-1/2 inches long--about the size of a goldfinch, though a bit pudgier with shorter tails. They form small flocks that give finch-like twittering calls. Though I am very good at identifying birds by their calls, I still haven't learned this bird's vocal differences--perhaps because they are in flocks and I haven't really heard just one bird call distinctly.
In San Diego County they seem to like brushy river bottoms at lower elevations. When the San Diego Bird Atlas was written in 2004, this species was "sporadic" in the county. They are now found in river bottoms near the coast the entire length of the county. They also follow the San Diego River from Mission Bay to Santee. If I had to name one location where they are most frequently encountered it would be Lake Murray. Over 100 individuals have been seen lately, though I have never seen them there. Another place where they are frequent is Batiquitos Lagoon.
late July 2018 - frequenting my bird water devices. Coastal Encinitas, near the Batiquitos lagoon
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. It seems the population is still expanding. Blue Sky Regional Park, Lake Hodges, Kit Carson Park are all locations inland in North County where I've seen them recently. Anywhere near water.
DeleteZip 92026. Started seeing 4 of them show up at my bird feeders a few months ago. Now, I sometimes see a dozen. The seed feeders are always filled, so they are here a few times a day. I saw some juveniles a few weeks ago, so I think they live in one of my trees. Cute little buggers.
ReplyDeleteThey are, indeed, cute little buggers!
DeleteUpdate:Pampas grass.
DeleteThese ornamental plants grow into dense clumps with white fluffy flower spires.
The munias cut these flower tops to make their nests.
Pampas grass near ponds at Kit Carson Park in Escondido is a location where munias seem to be getting more frequent.
Zip Code 92026 Update. There's been a population explosion! I counted more than 2 dozen yesterday, 7/21/19. They really get along well with each other. They crowd together to eat, unlike the Hooded Orioles. Male Orioles will not share the same nectar feeder; Munias are like one big happy family.
ReplyDeleteZip 92057, suburban with lots of green areas and unbuilt hills. I saw a flock of adults briefly last year, then this morning was puzzled by 5-6 uniformly brown finches that I finally sussed out as juveniles. One was just starting to develop the breast patterning.
ReplyDelete