Indian Silverbill (White-throated munia): Lonchura malabarica

Indian Silverbill (White-throated munia): Lonchura malabarica

 

Indian Silverbill (White-throated munia): Lonchura malabarica or Euodice malabarica; Hindi: Charchara, Pidda/Piddadi; Sanskrit: Pirili; Telugu: Jinuwayi.

 

About 10 centimetres in size; with a conical silver-grey bill in a shape that identifies it as a seed-eater; whitish buff-rufous underside with darker upperside, dark to black primaries along the lower edge of the folded wing; pointed - since centre feathers are longer - dark tail with a white rump.

 

Dry scrubland usually. However, this bird was spotted in the fast-shrinking thorny scrub forest of Central Ridge in New Delhi on a Kikar tree.

 

Makes cheeping/chirping sounds.

 

Eats seeds mostly but not averse to a few insects in diet.

 

Photographed at Central Ridge, New Delhi, India on 28.4.2013

Camera used: Nikon D5100 DSLR with AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm VR Lens.