Spice Finch
(Lonchura Punctulata)
Common Names: Spice Finch, Nutmeg Finch
Description: Adult Spice Finches have a nutmeg brown head, back and tail with beautiful scaling on the chest & underbelly. The eyes are a dark brown while the beak and legs are a dark gray. Both sexes look identical and can only be sexed by the male's courtship song. This is one of the hardest species for me to visually sex as the male's song is very soft.
Size: The average size for this species is 5 inches (12.5cm).
Origin: This mannikin originates from Asia, India, Java and parts of the Philippines.
Mutations/Sub-species: There are several know sub species of Spice Finches. The most common being the Topela species.
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Sub Speices
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Origin
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Lonchura Punctulata Subundulata
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West Burma (darker version of Spice finches)
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Lonchura Punculata Topela
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South China & India (smaller with less vivid belly
scaling)
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Lonchura Punculata Cabansis
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Philippines (duller brown on the chest)
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Lonchura Punculata Fretensis
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Malaysia & Sumatra (red-brown coloring on the
mask)
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Lonchura Punculata Nisoria
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Java & Bali (gray colored rump area)
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Lonchura Punculata Fortior
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Lombok & Sumbawa Islands
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Lonchura Punculata Sumbae
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Sumba Islands (olive tint to the upper tail coverts)
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Lonchura Punculata Blasii
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Sunda Islands
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Lonchura Punculata Particeps
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Celebes Islands
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Lonchura Punculata Topela (left) & Spice Finch Lonchura Punculata (right)
Photo provided by Roy Beckham
Diet: A good diet for Spice Finches includes cereal seed, paddy rice, mixed millets and green foods. Fresh water, cuttlebone and grit should be supplied at all times. Lettuce, Spinach, Chickweed, Spray Millet, Eggfood, Broccoli tops and Carrot tops can also be offered on a regular basis. Livefood is not necessary for the species.
General Care: These birds require routine nail trimming. Provide bath water daily.
Compatibility: Spice Finches are social by nature and will get along together or with other bird species. Just be careful not to put them with other species that might be agressive towards them.
Housing: This species can be housed in breeding cages but they will thrive in a large planted aviary with plenty of room to fly, sing and socialize. The best temperature to maintain is around 75 degrees as Spice finches do not do well in cold temperatures.
Song: If not paying close attention you can miss the male's song as it is very quiet and barely noticeable. He will stand upright on the perch while stretching his neck to sing. This species does not sing as often or near as loud as a Society Finch. The hens do not sing but do make clicking or warning sounds.
Breeding: Spice Finches are free breeders but seem to do better in a colony setting than in single breeding cages. They will adopt finch nest, canary nest or finch boxes. You can supply dry grasses, sisal, coconut fiber or mosses as nesting material. I have seen Spice Finches take over raising other species in a mixed flight. They will cross with Society Finches and other mannakins so try to add even pairs of different species to your aviaries. After mating occurs Spice Finches will lay 4-6 eggs in which they will incubate together for 14 days. It is important to supply a variety of green food, eggfood, soaked seeds and live food for the parent birds to feed the young. Normally, 3 weeks after hatching young Spice birds fledge returning to the nest with the parents at night. It takes another 2 weeks before the young birds are fully independent. The young birds get adult plumage in splotches and it can take 4-7 months for them to retain full adult plumage.
Price List:
Speical
Price for a Limited Time!
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Mutation
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Price Per Pair
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$35.00 Pair
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