Pale-headed munia

The pale-headed munia is a species of estrildid finch found in eastern Indonesia and Timor-Leste. It is found in artificial landscapes, subtropical and tropical lowlands, dry shrub and grassland habitats.

Range and distribution

The species' natural range includes central and south Sulawesi, Kalaotoa, Madu, and the Lesser Sundas. Abundance varies: it is locally common in the north of Flores, uncommon on Sumba, common in grasslands and croplands on Lombok, and appears to be expanding due to land clearance and farming on Sulawesi.
The pale-headed munia was only recently added to the official list of birds resident on Timor, where it is generally assumed to have evaded notice during previous official surveys. It was first formally recorded on the island in 1998.

Australian records

Vagrant pale-headed munias have recently been sighted in Western Australia. A single individual was photographed in Broome in February 2022. There was a claimed sighting of another bird on Troughton Island on the Kimberley coast in December 2024, and at least nine birds were photographed on the same island in late January 2026, after landing there amid strong winds from 2025–26 [Australian region cyclone season|Cyclone Luana]. There is an approximate 450-600 kilometre distance between Troughton Island and the species' closest known populations, centring on Timor.
Prior to these arrivals, the species' Australian records had been confined to sightings of vagrants approximately 320 kilometres off the Australian coast, on the country's external territory of Ashmore Reef. One group of three munias was recorded in February 2000, and a pair was noted in January 2003.