The Pictorella Munia - Lonchura pectoralis

The name Pictorella rolls easily off the tongue and is one of the most melodic and beautiful bird names I know of.  This name is an adaptation of the latin name pectoralis or Pectoral finch which is a clear reference to the enhanced white spotting on the pectoral (chest) area of the bird which, at a glance, is their most striking plumage feature.  The white chest of the Pictorella is highlighted by the fact that it adjoins the dark mask covering the face and throat providing an attractive contrast.  The pinkish earthy tone immediately below the white chest also adds to their unique visual appeal.

The Pictorella originates in semi-arid savanna country across Northern Australia.  The relatively dry terrain they naturally occupy contains numerous areas of open bare ground interspersed with mostly low vegetation of grasses, some small trees and bushes.  This environment has seen them evolve to become the most ground-oriented and also the most arid-adapted member of the vast Lonchura genus (Munias and Mannikins).  These adaptations have at times seen them placed on the periphery of classification as a member of Lonchura.  Pictorella’s unambiguous habitat preference for feeding, roosting, courting and breeding is at or near dry open ground in or around low grasses.  Their relatively elongated bill compared to other Lonchura is an obvious physiological adaptation to feeding on dry sandy and gravelly ground.  They are the only Lonchura species I have ever kept or seen whose entire courtship ritual can only be possible to perform on open ground.  These traits being so unique among their genus has helped to preserve their genetic integrity as Pictorella hybrids are very rare with other Lonchura species including those with which they share parts of their natural range (Yellow-rumped Munia, L.flaviprymna and Chestnut-breasted Munia, L.castaneothorax).  In captivity too Pictorella hybrids are most uncommon, even where other exotic lonchura species regularly share the same enclosure.  I feel sure that this is largely due to the drastically different courtship rituals which would see a Pictorella and most other Munias or Mannikins not recognise anything as sexually attractive in each other’s courtship display.

In temperament too, the Pictorella also stands alone from its relatives.  They seem to altogether lack the socially gregarious nature that characterises other Munias.  Whilst these other species tend to fly and forage as a fairly tight-knit flock, Pictorellas are far more solitary and will tend to exist mostly in pairs or small family groups, gathering in larger numbers only at dry season waterholes where a scarce vital resource forces a brief conglomeration of numbers.  Their somewhat shyer nature results in a thoroughly placid temperament eminently well-suited to sharing an aviary with other placid or more delicate finch species.  They do pose a slight and very inadvertent disturbance in a mixed breeding aviary when recently fledged young emerge from the nest.  Their fledglings often clumsily crash and bash around the aviary for the first few days as they “find their wings” which can have a slightly unsettling effect on the peace within a harmonious mixed finch aviary, but this is clearly a minor offence.   This and the fact that young bred in the cooler months can take many months to colour up are their main drawbacks.  Other Munia fledglings can pose a significant risk of nest disturbance in a mixed aviary at this time as they tend to prefer to camp in nests for the first few days following fledging and aren’t fussy whose they camp in.  Not Pictorellas though.  They will simply camp overnight on the ground in a tight bunch with their clutch-mates as do young Painted Finches (another obvious ground-dwelling adaptation in arid country).

Pictorellas have had a chequered history in captivity in Australia.  They were among the group of native finch species which were legally trapped in northern Western Australia in very large numbers up until the mid 1980s.   These wild-trapped birds were regularly sent in large shipments to the eastern states for distribution via bird dealers.  At the time of this trade, Pictorellas were relatively cheap to buy and readily available but very infrequently bred in aviaries for such a widely held species.  They were among the more difficult native species to adapt to captivity.  They were not difficult to keep alive and were actually quite robust from a health perspective, but their breeding in captivity was irregular and challenging for many who tried to breed them. 

For at least a few years immediately after the mid 1980s their captive status declined considerably as aviculturists struggled to maintain a sustainable captive bred aviary population.  From about the early to mid 1990s onwards there was initially a slight improvement in breeding output which gradually gathered momentum up until fairly recent years where their turnaround in fortunes has been dramatic.  As the proportion of captive-bred Pictorellas started to dominate our aviary stocks this resulted in more regular breeding efforts.  This also coincided with an improved standard of care applied by many finch breeders over the past 20 years.  Many years ago traditional finch aviaries were partly enclosed and partly open flight.  Typically the flight area may have contained a growing shrub and the shelter had bunches of brush located in the upper half for nest sites.   In recent decades, there has been a more widespread realisation that only fully roofed aviaries can provide permanently dry aviary floors.  Planting of seeding grasses in finch aviaries is now also more common.  These two changes in conventional finch aviary design and planting have immensely benefited the breeding outcomes for Pictorellas as a dry aviary floor and low nest sites, especially in grasses, are meeting the species’ core habitat needs.  Indeed, a dry sandy floor and sparsely planted perennial grasses (the most preferred nest site by far) are ingredients for a perfect aviary habitat for breeding Pictorellas.  If grasses are not planted, other low vegetative nest sites should be provided such as bunches of dense brush or (more ideally) bunches of dead larger grasses which have been tied together and placed in the lower half of the aviary on or near the ground.

When nesting in growing grass plants, Pictorellas will skilfully incorporate the green grass blades and seed heads into the initial outer shell of the enclosed dome shaped nest structure with similar (albeit far less tidy) weaving to the African Weavers.  The inner nest chamber comprises mostly fine grasses with only the occasional very light feather lining.  They will often add and incorporate small pieces of charcoal and cuttlebone (much preferred) to the interior floor structure of the nest chamber itself.  They will continue to do this for not only the initial nest construction phase but throughout the entire incubation and nest-bound rearing period.  Freshly crushed and broken small pieces of cuttlebone are of great stimulatory interest to breeding Pictorellas and they will always be among the first finch species to investigate when these are freshly provided, especially when broken up before their eyes.  Males carry out most nest building but both sexes actively seek out and collect the small bits of grit items for the nest chamber.

Another result of their relatively arid natural range is that their dietary preferences are generally slanted towards dry foods with live insects and some seeding grasses as the main natural breeding season supplements.  This is a clear legacy of the strict seasonal wet and dry seasons experienced in the tropical north Australian savannah country with a dry season characterised by lean offerings mostly confined to dry fallen grass seeds from the previous wet season.  The wet season brings with it an explosion of vegetative and insect life in response to the rains providing freely available fresh grass seed heads and swarming termite and other insect populations.  In the wild, breeding commences immediately following the wet season as a response to the more abundant insect and ripening grass seed supplies.

In captivity Pictorellas dietary preferences are a reflection of this.  The perfect captive diet for them includes a varied dry seed diet comprising not only the basic millet-based finch mixes, but also a wider range of dry grass seeds which are greatly appreciated by Pictorellas.  A separate offering of various pasture grass seeds will be eagerly consumed.  Grass seeds such as barnyard grass, signal grass, rye, phalaris, panics or almost any other available small grass seeds are perfect for such a mix.  Current captive stocks of Pictorellas will attempt to breed at any time of year provided they have access to a regular supply of live insect food.  Termites, maggots and mealworms are all eagerly taken by Pictorellas whilst rearing young and a dependable supply can help them achieve regular output of large clutches of young.  Without a regular live food supply breeding outcomes with this species would be very meagre at best.  They appreciate half-ripe green grass seed heads and/or sprouted seed during the breeding season and will also eat some Lebanese cucumber whilst feeding young.  However, even at this time their main feeding efforts will be concentrated around the livefood, dry grass seeds and mineral and grit foods (cuttlebone, eggshells, charcoal and fine shell grits).  The grits are very important to Pictorellas both as a dietary input and nesting material.

The full courtship ritual is a very unique and entertaining spectacle.  I have only ever seen it carried out on a handful of occasions despite keeping and breeding Pictorellas for many seasons, so to witness it is a real treat.  The display is carried out on the ground.  The male holds a piece of grass in his bill whilst hopping toward the female who if interested slants her tail toward the male.  This results in him puffing himself up with belly and nape feathers especially erect while he stands tall.  He then drops the grass and commences a bowing dance as hops in ever smaller semi-circles which bring him closer and closer to the hen with each semi-circle.  With each of these semi-circles, as he moves from one side of the hen around to her other side she slants her tail around to whichever side of her he is located.   When he has danced right up her, she quivers her tail to solicit mating.  They then briefly copulate and its all over red rover.

When provided with suitable aviary habitat and an appropriate breeding diet, Pictorella pairs can be among the most prolific breeding native finch species there is.  Good pairs can consistently produce clutches of four to seven young.  I have had clutches of eight well-developed young Pictorellas emerge on a few occasions, but five is a typical clutch.  If the aviary habitat and/or diet does not suit them well, they may show no attempt to breed at all.  I have seen other finch keepers in such situations attribute a lack of breeding response by their Pictorellas to incompatibility, obesity and other issues without attempting to alter the most obvious and easily changed factors – habitat and diet.

In a truly dry aviary they experience few health problems and are fairly long-lived for an estrildid finch.  Given their partly insectivorous diet, regular worming should be the main preventative health strategy.  If aviary floors experience unavoidable periodic wetness, a preventative treatment for coccidiosis is also recommended immediately after the wet period has ceased.  Apart from this, Pictorellas experience very few instances of regular health problems for such a ground-oriented finch.  Their regular contact with the ground does dictate the need to be fairly vigilant in keeping the floor clean of too much organic litter.  A periodic rake up of a dry sandy floor goes a long way toward keeping this a hygienic place for them to enjoy.

Pictorellas have the very unique distinction of being the only native finch species I know of which is regularly bred and for which I have never heard of a colour mutation either being established nor even occurring as an incidental one-off.  They do, however, exhibit a reasonable degree of natural variation in some of their physical traits.  I prefer to select males with enhanced chest spotting so that the spots join up to appear as a clean white chest with few gaps between the spots.  I find that the better males for chest spotting also have prominent spotting on the flanks which is very attractive.  A really good hen will also show flank spotting.  Hens’ white chest spots vary considerably from vary narrow slits to quite large prominent ones approaching the size and intensity of lesser quality males.  These latter hens are what I look for in my young hens which I retain as breeders.  I prefer to select Pictorellas with larger body size.  Similar to selecting breeding stock in Gouldians, I prefer male Pictorellas with a more upright posture, full in the neck and shoulder with a broad masculine head.  Females selected are fuller in the abdomen compared to males and less thickset in the head and neck area but with good overall size.  A darker pinkish belly is also a very attractive feature to select for.

Pictorellas are a highly desirable and unique finch to keep and breed.  A perfect placid temperament for a productive mixed finch aviary, unusual nesting and courtship behaviour, a subtle physical beauty of earthy contrasts and a guarantee to be free from hidden mutant genes.  Attention to detail in addressing their habitat and dietary needs are their keys to breeding success.