The small, finch-like bird has chestnut-brown plumage with a black head and throat and a separate black belly patch. Some races have the rest of the underparts white. Tricoloured munia have become ...

With a pale gray head, back, and chest, they exhibit a pop of striking color with their yellow belly. In flight, the gray-black tail shows white outer edges. The bird is about the size of a robin ...

This species’ often confiding nature, distinctive plumage, pleasing song, and acceptance of human-dominated habitats make it one of the most beloved of North American birds. Polytypic.