Date: 3/29/26 4:12 pm From: Julia Larke via groups.io <coastlark...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Scaly-breasted Munias at UWWTP
Nice photos...the bird's coloration and pattern is so different. With the
(over) warming planet who knows how species ranges will adjust.
On Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 3:56 PM Lisa D Walker <feather...> wrote:
> Wait til you see them doing their wild bird antics near ponds, lakes,
> estuaries, rivers and streams....
>
> Sipping the morning dew off of cattails, for example. Their little calls
> are bright and energetic.
>
> I am not sure if they are considered invasive yet; they are spreading
> northwards. I was hoping we'd see some on the coast up here but I think
> they prefer it much warmer and will likely stay inland.
>
> Photos from Santa Barbara County's Andre Clark Bird Refuge, where I met
> Hugh Ranson
>
> Lisa
>
>
>
> On 2026-03-29 3:45 pm, Julia Larke via groups.io wrote:
> > I wondered what on earth is a scaly-breasted munia and just learned
> > it's an attractive bird from India and Southeast Asia that is sold in
> > the pet trade and often called a nutmeg mannikin or a spice finch
> > (though it's a member of the waxbill family). Known for their
> > hardiness, escaped pets have established populations globally,
> > including Southern California, the Gulf Coast, Hawaii, Australia and
> > the Caribbean. In recent years, their range is apparently expanding
> > into San Francisco and the Bay Area.
> >
> > I enjoyed reading this article by Hugh Ranson, a member of the Santa
> > Barbara Audubon Society.
> >
> https://www.independent.com/2024/04/12/invasion-of-the-mannikins/#:~:text=They%20are%20popular%20cage%20birds%20and%20are,**Young%20birds%20are%20plain%20brown%20all%20over** > >
> > Julia Larke
> > Fort Bragg
> >
> > On Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 9:58 AM George Gibbs via groups.io [1]
> > <ggibbs...> wrote:
> >
> >> 3/29/26
> >>
> >> Chuck Vaughn and I observed 3-5 Scaly-breasted Munias at the Ukiah
> >> Wastewater Treatment Plant this morning. Previously, Chuck Vaughn
> >> had seen one bird over the winter so perhaps these birds stayed in
> >> the area. They were located along the south fence line as before.
> >> Will post photos to eBird.
> >>
> >> Nice mud showing in middle and North ponds so hopefully it will be a
> >> good spring for shorebirds at the plant. Avocets and Stilts already
> >> exhibiting some nest building behavior.
> >>
> >> George Gibbs
> >> Ukiah
> >
> >
> >
> > Links:
> > ------
> > [1] http://groups.io > > [2] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/message/9764 > > [3] https://groups.io/mt/118566389/974701 > > [4] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/post > > [5] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/editsub/974701 > > [6] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/unsub >
> --
> Lisa D Walker, Feather's Fotos
> https://facebook.com/PhotographyByFeather
