Splendid nun
| Splendid nun | ||||||||||||
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Magnificent nun ( Lonchura spectabilis ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Lonchura spectabilis | ||||||||||||
| ( Sclater , 1879) |
The magnificent nun ( Lonchura spectabilis ), also known as the white-bellied nun, is a species of the magnificent finch family . Several subspecies are distinguished.
description
The splendor nun reaches a body length of about 9.5 centimeters and is one of the rather small splendor finches. There is no sexual dimorphism .
The head, throat and neck have black plumage. The back and the wing coverts are chestnut brown, although the intensity of this chestnut brown varies somewhat in the individual subspecies. The wings are blackish with maroon outer flags. The upper tail-coverts and the hems of the dark brown tail feathers are yellowish ocher to yellow. The goiter and the front underside of the body are white to reddish light brown, depending on the subspecies. The thighs, the rear end and the under tail coverts are black. The eyes are brown to black with a pale gray eyelid rim that is clearly separated from the black head plumage. The beak is pale gray to blackish gray.
The young birds are dark brown with light shaft lines on the top of the head, the sides of the head and the throat. The throat is spotted whitish and there are lighter feathers on the top of the head. The change of color to old age is relatively slow in this splendid finch and only takes about six months to complete.
Distribution and way of life
The nominate form Lonchura spectabilis spectabilis occurs on New Britain , Umboi and Long Island . Four other subspecies, namely L. s. wahgiensis , L. s. mayri and L. s. gajduseki and L. s. sepikensis are native to northern and northeast New Guinea . Their habitat is grassland from sea level to altitudes of 2,450 meters. Magnificent nuns have also conquered human settlement space as a habitat and occur in settlements that are surrounded by grassy areas. Along with the thick-billed nun , gray-headed nun , brown-breasted nun , mountain nun and mourning bronze male, it is one of the splendid finch species that occurs as a cultural successor in high altitudes of New Guinea and competes there with the rare Arfa nun , among others .
It is a socially living bird that is usually observed in smaller groups of ten to twelve birds. Occasionally, however, flocks can contain up to eighty individuals. The diet consists mainly of grass seeds. During the breeding season, they also ingest algae that they find on bodies of water.
Magnificent nuns build both breeding and sleeping nests. Both nest forms are usually found individually on the edge of grassland. The clutch consists of four white-shelled eggs. The incubation period is fourteen to fifteen days, while the nestling period is 21 days. In the case of magnificent nuns kept in human care, it has been observed that during the day the two parent birds separate while breeding. At night, on the other hand, only the female breeds while the male sleeps in the nest. On average, the young birds are independent two weeks after they have left the brood nest.
attitude
Magnificent nuns were first introduced to Europe in 1934. Further imports followed in 1970. The first breeding succeeded a year later. Magnificent nuns are kept relatively frequently compared to other species of the bronze male genus , but much less frequently than, for example, the Australian fine finches. They are considered to be ideal aviary birds, but it must be taken into account when setting up that magnificent nuns like to withdraw and need sufficient bathing facilities.
supporting documents
literature
- Jürgen Nicolai (Ed.), Joachim Steinbacher (Ed.), Renate van den Elzen, Gerhard Hofmann: Prachtfinken - Australia, Oceania, Southeast Asia. Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3249-4 .
- Peter Clement , Alan Harris, John Davis: Finches and Sparrows. An Identification Guide. Christopher Helm, London 1993, ISBN 0-7136-8017-2 .
Single receipts
Web links
- Lonchura spectabilis inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2013.