FEATURE
The origin of the Bengalese is often given described as a hybrid of various Lonchura species including the Silverbill. There is no evidence to support this view which has been presented by various prominent bird-keepers and even occurs in recent publications. A significant incorrect reporting of the origin of the Bengalese, occurred in Arthur G. Butler’s book ‘Foreign Finches in Captivity’, published in 1884, when he stated that the Bengalese was a Silverbill x Striated finch hybrid. He had been persuaded that this was the case rather than his own view of it being a domesticated Striated Finch by the respected aviculturist Mr Joseph Abrahams. In 1907, the origins of the Bengalese were discussed in Avicultural Society Magazines. Butler and others believed that the origin was either the Striated Finch (Lonchura striata) and/or the Sharp-tailed Finch (Lonchura Auticauda). Butler’s book Foreign Finch Keeping (Part 1) confirmed his retraction of the use of the Silverbill in the Bengalese origin. Bengalese and Silverbill hybrids have been produced, but I am unaware if they have been proven to be fertile. Today both the Sharp-tailed Finch and Striated Finch are classified as sub- species of the White–Rumped Munia (
L.Striata). There are also other sub- species including the Chinese White
Japanese are reported as being very keen on white birds; they established the White Java Finch. It is common for white or pied mutations to occur in many species naturally; the British Natural History museum has many examples.
Rumped Munia (L.S. Swinhoei) which is almost certainly the ancestor of the Bengalese. In the 1950s Erica Eisner who studied for Bengalese for many years Bengalese at Oxford University concluded that there was very strong case that the Bengalese was probably the Sharp-tailed Munia from China. Robin Restall in his classic book Munias & Mannikins, based on his detailed study of all Lonchura species, was of a similar opinion.
More recently a Japanese study that focused on Bengalese song analysis, undertook DNA analysis of Bengalese and other species, and concluded that Bengalese, both European and Japanese, were closely related to the White-rumped Munia, specifically a sub-population from South-East Asia. In more recent times, crossing with other Lonchura species has widely occurred in order to develop the colours of the self varieties. It is ironic that in the past the Bengalese was often incorrectly identified as being a hybrid but now many Bengalese are definitely hybrids.
BIRD SCENE 19
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