Scaly-breasted Munia

Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata) is a small brown estrildid finch with a dark conical bill and bold scale-like markings across the white breast and belly. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is native to tropical Asia, travels in flocks through grassland and cultivated areas and feeds mainly on grass seeds, supplemented by berries and small insects. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).