Tricolored Munia

How to find it

Look for small flocks in rice paddies and weedy pastures near the coast, especially in Guanacaste. Birds can often be seen from roadside viewing points beside the rice fields of Guanacaste Province, so you may not need to leave the vehicle. On a trip we build, Guanacaste lowland rice fields and cattle pastures with water nearby are good places to scan. Santa Rosa National Park grasslands and seasonal wetlands are also listed, and so are the grassland and farm edges of Carara National Park. At Palo Verde, try wetland edges and grasslands near the Tempisque River.

How to recognise it

Adult males show a clear pattern in plain blocks of colour:

Black head, throat and upper breast, with the black running onto the belly.

White lower breast and flanks.

Chestnut brown back and wings.

Reddish maroon rump.

It is a tiny seed-eating finch about 11.5 cm long, smaller than a sparrow. The bill is pale bluish-gray and conical, and the tail is short, pointed and dark brown.

Young birds look very different from adults. They are pale brown above with no dark head, and plain buff to pale brown below. Adults are unmistakable, so most of the identification effort goes into the juveniles.

Behaviour and diet

This is a sociable small bird, and you will usually find it in groups rather than alone. It feeds mainly on grass seeds and similar seeds. It is strictly a seed eater, taking wild grass seeds and farm grains. It feeds on the ground or hangs from seed heads. Watch the edges of a rice field or weedy pasture, and small flocks may drop in and out of the vegetation together.

Where it lives

The Tricolored Munia lives in wet grasslands and marshes, and in rice fields and other grain farmland. In Costa Rica it is most often reported in lowland farmland and wetlands.

Reports come most often from Guanacaste and Puntarenas provinces, and from parts of San José province. Rice fields in Guanacaste, wetlands near Puntarenas and Central Valley farmland are all named as places to look. It is also occasionally reported in Palo Verde, Santa Rosa and Carara National Parks.

When to see it

One site says Santa Rosa National Park's seasonal wetlands give good chances during the wet season, May to November. It describes the bird as a year-round resident where established.

Similar birds

Juveniles can be mistaken for young Scaly-breasted Munias, and they are hard to separate from other young munias. Look closely at bill shape and behaviour. Small size and a pointed tail also help. Chestnut Munia and Scaly-breasted Munia have also spread widely in tropical America, so look-alike munias may occur near this one.

Names and lore in Costa Rica

The Costa Rican Spanish name is Monjita Tricolor. Other Spanish names used elsewhere include Capuchino Tricolor and Munia Cabecinegro.

Status and conservation

The AOCR lists it as a resident (R), but it is an introduced species, and the IUCN rates it Least Concern with a large, stable population overall.

Photography tips

Rice fields beside Guanacaste roads let you scan from the vehicle, so you may be able to watch a flock without disturbing it. Look for small groups in rice paddies and weedy pastures near the coast.