Common name: Scaly-breasted Munia
Scientific name: Lonchura punctulata
Family: Estrildidae

Size:
Body length: 10–13 cm
Weight: approximately 12–16 g

Identification:
A small, compact finch with a thick conical bill and short rounded wings. Adults have a rich brown head, throat and upperparts, contrasting with white underparts marked by distinctive dark scale-like patterns across the breast and belly. Juveniles are much plainer, mainly warm brown above and buff below, without the characteristic scaled pattern.

Habitat:
Found mainly in parks, gardens, landscaped areas, farms, grassy fields, wetlands, reed edges and other well-vegetated urban or suburban habitats. It is particularly associated with areas where grasses and seed-producing plants are abundant.

Status in the UAE:
An introduced and established breeding species, Category C, recorded mainly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is considered uncommon in the UAE and has been known to nest in the country since 1993.

Diet:
Feeds primarily on grass seeds and other small seeds, taken both from the ground and directly from plants. It may also consume green plant material, berries and occasional small insects.

Behavior:
A highly social species usually seen in pairs or small flocks, sometimes forming larger groups where food is abundant. It frequently feeds among grasses and seed heads and may gather communally at feeding and roosting sites.

Conservation Status:
Global: Least Concern (LC)
UAE National Red List: Not listed in the UAE National Red List assessment