Lonchura Malacca Research Articles

Observation of the birds on Mariana Islands

I made a short trip to Guam and Saipan from 27th April to 1st May 1970.Of the 18 species observed, the record of Charadrius leschnaultii from Saipan is apparently new for the island. Passer montanus and Lonchura malacca are lack in the list of Baker's The Air-fauna of Micronesia (1951) but King (1962) observed both species abundant on Guam when he visited there in 1960. They are considered to be introduced to Guam between 1951 and 1960.King failed to observe Dicururus macrocercus on Guam in 1960. But Tubb (1966) observed several individuals towards the north end of the island in 1965. Apparently this species was introduced to Guam between 1960 and 1965. I noticed it is common in central Guam, expanding it's distribution toward south of the island.The annoted list of the whole 18 species is as below.

Light and the gonadal cycle of the black-headed Munia, Munia malacca malacca.

When black-headed Munia, Munia malacca malacca, were subjected to different photoperiods, testes started developing practically immediately under constant short (8 or 9 hrs.) days, but after a delay of three months under long (15-hr.) photoperiod. Under both the photoperiods, gonads were maintained permanently in a full breeding condition. Under natural photoperiod, tests began to grow six months later than those of short-day brids and attained their maximal size four months after their recrudescence. However, thereafter they showed a rapid regression in size.It is suggested that while day-length may induce gonadal development, in nature, some other environmental factor (s) is responsible for bringing about annual gonadal regression.

Plumage control in black-headed Munia (Munia atricapila)

Plumage control in black-headed Munia (Munia atricapila)

Animal Behavior and Internal Drives

Animal Behavior and Internal Drives