The dark bellied race of the Black-headed Munia (Lonchura malacca atricapilla ) occurs naturally in eastern India. This is sometimes treated as a separate species ~ and Rasmussen calls it Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla) in Birds of South Asia.
Over the years the Kolkata area has built-up a sizable population of the white-bellied nominate race from escapees and releases by the Forest Department (of confiscated cage-birds). This breeding population mixes freely with the endemic atricapilla and may be inter-breeding.
The reason I suggest the mix-up of races is the colour of the breast and belly of the regional atricapilla race. Over the years they seem to become paler in the belly ~ and this can be seen in the image. A pure atricapilla should have much darker chestnut in the underparts if species descriptions are correct. If this is true, we may, over time loose the Chestnut Munia altogether.
Image taken yesterday at Kona Expressway, Kolkata.
Cheers!
Sumit
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