the bronze mannikin or bronze munia ( lonchura cucullata ) is a small passerine ( i.e. perching ) bird of the afrotropics .

this very social estrildid finch is an uncommon to locally abundant bird in much of africa south of the sahara desert , where it is resident , nomadic or irruptive in mesic savanna or forest margin habitats .

it has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 8,100,000 km ² .

it is the smallest and most widespread of four munia species on the african mainland , the other being black-and-white , red-backed and magpie mannikin .

it co-occurs with the madagascan mannikin on the comoro islands , and was introduced to puerto rico .

especially in the west africa , it is considered a pest in grain and rice fields .

it is locally trapped for the pet bird trade .

bronze mannikin

bronze mannikin ( spermestes cucullatus fam . estrildidae ) kruger park birds & birding .
the bronze mannikin is neither endemic or near endemic to the kruger national park .
in terms of distribution of the bronze mannikin in the kruger national park you may not see it in all areas . bronze mannikin : see above distribution map .
the bronze mannikin averages 9 - 10cm in length , including its long black tail .
you will normally see the bronze mannikin in pairs or flocks and not as single birds .
museum specimens indicate historical distributions . the map below shows locations from which museum specimens of bronze mannikin were collected . you can see more information on the individual museum specimens of bronze mannikin here .
the bronze mannikin ( latin name spermestes cucullatus ) is described in roberts birds of southern africa , 7th edition . this bird has a unique roberts number of 857 and you will find a full description of this bird on page 1065 also a picture of the bronze mannikin on page 1057 . the bronze mannikin belongs to the family of birds classified as estrildidae . according to the percy fitzpatrick institute of african ornithology the bronze mannikin is also known by these other names : bronzewing , bronze - winged mannikin , hooded finch .
the bronze mannikin is monogamous unless its mate dies . in the event of a partner dying spermestes cucullatus will seek out a new mate
the bronze mannikin is a tiny gregarious bird which feeds mainly on seeds . it frequents open country and cultivation , especially near water .
this book includes the six african species in this genus - madagascar mannikin lonchura nana , bronze mannikin l . cucullatus , black - and - white mannikin , magpie mannikin , african silverbill l . cantans and pearl - headed mannikin l . caniceps ( absent from plates at rear of book ) . the information given for these species compares favourably with the much scantier information provided within finches and sparrows ' .
the bronze mannikin feeds on a variety of seeds . insects may be taken during the breeding season , when their requirement for protein is higher .
during the breeding season in summer the bronze mannikin is often seen singly or in pairs . out of the breeding season they tend to be in flocks .
male and female bronze mannikins look alike . immatures are a more plain buffy brown .
5 - inch ) bronze mannikin ( l . cucullata ) has large communal roosts in africa ; it has been introduced into puerto rico , where it is called hooded weaver . abundant in southern asia are the nutmeg mannikin ( l . punctulata ) , also called spice finch or spotted munia , and the striated mannikin ( l . …
the nesting habit of bronze mannikin is to create the nest in branches of a tree or shrub . the bird lays eggs which are white in colour and number between 2 to 8
additional notes the madagascar mannikin is the only estrildid endemic to the island of madagascar .
one of the first indicators to take note of when trying to identify a bird is it relative size . for example how big is the bird compared to a well known familiar bird . the bronze mannikin is an extremely small bird about half the size of a house sparrow . the height of the bronze mannikin is about 10 cms and its weight is about 10 gms
the bronze mannikin ( lonchura cucullata ) is a small estrildid finch that breeds in much of africa south of the sahara desert . they are found in open country and cultivation , particularly near water .
bronze mannikins also build communal roosting nests , which they use overnight and dismantle and rebuild the next day .
the bronze mannikin or bronze munia ( lonchura cucullata ) is a small passerine ( i . e . perching ) bird . this estrildid finch is an abundant resident breeding bird in much of africa south of the sahara desert of dry savanna habitats . it has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 8 , 100 , 000 km² .
for chestnut mannikin , see munia . for the south american manakins ( family pipridae ) , see manakin .
bronze - winged mannikins live in flocks and family parties outside of the breeding season and may associate with other species of waxbill and mannikin . allo - preening is common among birds on friendly terms . they eat grass seeds ( from the genera
the bronze mannikin is 9–10 cm in length with a long black tail . the adult has a stubby grey bill , brown upperparts , a dark purple head and white underparts with dark flank markings . there is an iridescent green shoulder patch .
bronze - winged mannikin , lonchura cucullata , is found in africa , south of the sahara except for the southwest . also found on the islands of fernando po , principe , sao tome’ , pemba , zanzibar , mafia , comoros ; introduced to puerto rico .
distribution of bronze mannikin in southern africa , based on statistical smoothing of the records from first sa bird atlas project ( © animal demography unit , university of cape town ; smoothing by birgit erni and francesca little ) . colours range from dark blue ( most common ) through to yellow ( least common ) .
above and below - bronze and red - backed mannikins are similar in looks but there are a number of differences . sometimes they may feed together and , side by side , it is quite easy to tell them apart . the bronze mannikin ( above ) is a plain brown on the back and doesn ' t have too much black on the head . it has quite a bit of barring on its white underparts . the red - backed mannikin is a more attractive and clean - cut bird . the back is a reddish brown and there is extensive black on the head . the white underparts do not have other markings .
munia , any of several small finchlike asian birds of the mannikin and waxbill groups ( family estrildidae , order passeriformes ) . the black - headed munia , or chestnut mannikin ( lonchura malacca , including atricapilla and ferruginosa ) , is a pest in rice fields from india to java and the philippines ; as a cage bird it is often…
housing : the chestnut - breasted mannikin like most other mannikins are quite placid and mix well in a communal aviary . however as with most species of mannikins and munias breeding success is more likely by keeping a single pair in an aviary / cage of its own . there is also danger of hybridisation if kept with other mannikin species .
description : the dusky mannikin is similar to the java mannikin but without the white on the belly . they are completely brownish black with darker tips creating a scaled look . there are variations in colour of each individual some being more scaled than others . the upper beak is black and the lower beak is a bluish grey as are the legs .
payne , r . ( 2018 ) . bronze mannikin ( spermestes cucullata ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .
the bronze mannikin is a native of sub - saharan africa , where it ranges widely from senegal in the west to ethiopia in the east , and south to south africa . in the neotropics it is more or less confined to puerto rico , where it is speculated to have arrived on spanish slave ships at some time between the early 16th and the early 19th centuries . it was abundant there by the mid 1860s and by the 20th century had spread to neighboring vieques island . on puerto rico , the bronze mannikin is rarely reported above 300 m . they are particularly fond of feeding on rice . the species was also reported on st . croix , in the virgin islands , in the late 1970s , but to date it has not been reported on any of the other islands in the greater antilles .
bronze - winged mannikins prefer to live in groups of like species . males may become aggressive toward each other and other species during the breeding season ; fighting birds will fan out the wing that is further away from their enemy during spats .
introduction : bronze mannikins ( spermestes cucullata ) congregate in breeding groups of up to 30 , otherwise they can be observed in pairs or smaller family groups . evergreen woodland is favoured as well as suburban gardens . will fly into cover when disturbed
above and below - bronze mannikins are quick to find bird feeders in gardens . they prefer the fine ' wild bird ' seed . during winter they tend to feed in large flocks while during the summer breeding season they are often seen singly .
breeder ' s notes like some other small african mannikins such as the rufous - back and bronze - wing , the madagascar mannikin can be rather aggressive when breeding . they are usually not a hazard to others in a mixed colony , but can be to each other in a small flight cage . colony breeding in a large flight would probably be safe ( walk in size ) . there simply needs to be enough space for the birds that are being chased to fly and hide .
the line of striking black , chestnut and white munia and mannikin species perched on plant fronds against the white dust jacket of this book provides an arresting cover design , which prepares the reader well for the remainder of the book .
housing : the magpie mannikin quite a shy bird that will flee to dense cover if disturbed . more often found in pairs or small family groups not often seen in flocks of more than 10 unless found in where bamboo is seeding .
housing : the dusky mannikin is little different from other munias within its range . it is somewhat a skulking bird described as mouse like . keeping low in vegetation and feeding on the ground mostly . one of its characteristics is little fear of man .
distribution and habitat : there are 6 species of chestnut - breasted mannikin 2 are native to australia and 4 are native to new guinea . the nominate l . c . castaneothorax comes from australia is found in and around grassy river banks and reed beds . the more commonly kept new guinea species l . c . sharpii is a bird that prefers drier areasand prefers to not inhabit the jungle clearings of other munias / mannikins . l . c . sharpii commonly form small flocks with the grey - headed mannikin .
housing : the indian silverbill is not aggressive toward other species if kept in a mixed aviary . breeding success can be achieved when kept a small flock in an outside aviary . there may also be a danger of hybridisation if kept with other mannikin species .
housing : the white - headed nun is not aggressive toward other species if kept in a mixed aviary . breeding success can be achieved by keeping a small flock in an outside aviary dependant on size . there is a danger of hybridisation if kept with other mannikin species .
the 16 plates at the front of the book illustrate all of the world ' s species of munias and mannikins , and many of the races . amongst the six african species represented in the book , the only omissions are illustrations of the somali race of black - and - white mannikin lonchura bicolor minor and , perhaps rather more surprisingly , southern magpie mannikin lonchura fringilloides pica , given this subspecies ' relatively extensive distribution in southern and eastern africa . this series of plates is rather regimented and stylised , but does allow comparisons between species and subspecies .
housing : the black - headed nun is quite a placid bird and mixes well in a communal aviary . however breeding success is more likely by keeping a single pair in an aviary / cage of its own . there is a danger of hybridisation if kept with other mannikin species .
most are sensitive to cold and require warm , usually tropical , habitats , although a few , such as the eastern alpine mannikin , mountain firetail and red - browed finch , and the genus stagonopleura , have adapted to the cooler climates of southern australia and the highlands of new guinea .
distribution and habitat : there are 2 subspecies of the magpie mannikin spreading across from the west to east coast of africa from senegal and gambia to kenya , tanzania and natal . it is a bird seldom found far from water preferring to roost in reed beds preferring to habit near thickets of bamboo .
distribution and habitat : there are 3 recognised subspecies of the five - coloured mannikin finch which are found on some of the indonesian islands like timor , sumba , flores and sermata to name a few . they are found in grasslands , paddy fields , scrub even in cultivated land where cereals grow .
housing : the tri - coloured munia is generally considered not to be aggressive toward other species if kept in a mixed aviary . however there is little doubt that best breeding success will be achieved by keeping a small flock in an aviary of its own . there is a danger of hybridisation if kept with other mannikin species .
description : head is glossy black , back is dark brown as are the wings . tail is black with white below with black and brown barring on the flanks . bill is heavy long and pointed . as with many mannikins the sexes are difficult to tell apart . juveniles are similar to bronze - winged mannikins and black & white mannikins but are distinguishable by their size .
weaver - finch , , any of numerous songbirds belonging to the family estrildidae ( order passeriformes ) , individually called grass finch , mannikin , and waxbill ( qq . v . ) . they are finchlike old world birds . most of the 107 species are small or tiny seed - eaters with short conical bills . they occur in…
the upper photo shows adult and immature bronze mannikins , courtesy of karine van der vurst . the middle photo ( dar es salaam , 10 - 15 ) , is courtesy of michael oates . the lower photo of an adult was taken in olasiti ( 11 - 08 ) : click it to see nine enlargements . the first four enlargements are of a nesting pair whose nest was destroyed by house crows , courtesy of andy perkin .
breeding : wfs records show that this species is progressively being bred each year . in its natural habitat , the nest is usually found in holes in banks , among exposed roots and in holes in trees . the dusky mannikin accepts various nesting receptacles in captivity from wicker baskets to half - open nest boxes . average clutch size is 3 to 6 and incubation is about 13 days . youngsters fledge in approximately 3 weeks .
for best results , keep a group ( at least 3 pairs and with equal numbers of cocks and hens ) of these birds together to allow the birds to choose their own partners . birds aged 1 to 4 years are best suited to breeding . newcomers to the flock may be attacked , intensely courted , and mounted , but are usually accepted before long . because they can become pugnacious while breeding , bronze - winged mannikins may be best kept in a group on their own while breeding . birds are most successfully bred in a community fashion in larger aviaries , though some may breed in cages in pairs with increased productivity .
the various phases of the reproductive behaviour of the bronze mannikin are described in detail and discussed . this species possesses rather specialised fighting patterns which are different from those of the other estrildine finches . in an all - out attack it charges in a frontal - horizontal posture like other species , but in an equally matched bout , the contestants do not adopt the typical sleeked vertical postures of most species , but instead crouch in latero - horizontal postures . when fighting in this position , the far wing is spread and raised vertically both as a balancing device and also as a display . nesting behaviour is described and the differences between breeding and sleeping nests are discussed . the process of pair - formation is mentioned and it is pointed out that in communal species such as the present one , this is in many respects a negative process ; i . e . the narrowing down of social responses from all , to one particular member of the colony . when a male and female are paired , they begin to construct a nest together and a special ceremony takes place repeatedly in the nest cavity . this has evolved from simple nesting patterns , but is now sexual in character and may lead to copulations inside the nest . the typical precopulatory patterns are analysed in detail and it is shown that they contain a number of the ritualised components of the nest ceremony . the latter therefore provides a valuable derivational clue , linking nesting proper with pre - copulatory displays . other aspects of the male courtship , such as the dancing movements of inverted curtseying and pivoting , can be derived from intention movements of fleeing
diet a basic finch maintenance diet will serve this rather small african mannikin well . they are hardy birds like most mannikins . a finch seed mix is fine , but these small finches will prefer the larger seeds such as large white prosso , so i actually mix 50 / 50 mix of finch mix with white prosso . in addition , they will readily eat my egg food ( roy ' s egg food ) , some gamebird crumbles and green food . soaked or sprouted paddy rice was also accepted . calcium can be provided in the form of crushed egg shell and crushed oyster shell . i have a cuttlebone available to them , but like so many mannikins , they don ' t really eat a lot of it off the bone . live food in the way of small mealworms can be offerred to the birds , but generally i like to try and raise the birds without the addition of live food whenever possible . it makes my life easier . using a few mealworms might act as a breeding trigger for these birds if they seem reluctant to start a nest .
the clutch size ranged from 4 to 7 eggs and the incubation period was 12 - 13 days . the tiny young hatch out with little down and are pinkish in color . ( see the gape markings ) . the parents really begin to eat the eggfood when the chicks hatch and continue this voracious eating until the chicks fledge . i would leave the young with the parents for at least 3 weeks after fledging to be certain that the young are weaned . i did not see any aggression towards the young after they fledged as is seen with the rufous - back mannikin . the young fledge with a dark brown back and tan belly . the beak is solid black and there is just a hint of the throat bib ( see below ) . the parents will quite often return to nest before the first clutch is fully weaned . the male will continue to feed while the hen starts incubating the new clutch . they can be quite prolific with repeated clutches and rather large clutches of 6 - 7 young . as is always the safe recommendation , it is best not to overtax your breeders by taking more than 2 - 4 clutches . ( depends on clutch size and condition of the parents )
hbw alive contains information on descriptive notes , voice , habitat , food and feeding , breeding , movements , status and conservation plus a list of bibliographical references for this species account .
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adults and juveniles bathing in a small puddle of water , next to orange - cheeked waxbills .
juan sanabria , josep del hoyo , greg baker , pieter de groot boersma , daniêl jimenez , doug and denise norris , pascal vagner , marc de bont , yoël jimenez , keith blomerley .
paul van giersbergen , éric roualet , stefan helming , lars petersson , robert erasmus , laurent demongin , holger teichmann , james kashangaki , paul a guris , markus lilje , juan josé bazán hiraldo , tadeusz stawarczyk , bernard . guevorts , frank sandvoss , bruno schmetz , jacek nalepa , ossewa , jmdebruyn , klaus lachenmaier , frédéric pelsy , keithedward , ruben gaasenbeek , abe and jenny , alexander viduetsky , marco valentini , ken havard , mlanguy , dolapo805 , morten venas , rafael merchante , mattias hofstede , juan gonzalez valdivieso , buchert .
races intergrade in ne drcongo and uganda . proposed race tessellata , described from nampini ( middle r zambezi valley ) , in nw zimbabwe , is synonymized with scutata . two subspecies recognized .
swainson , 1837 – senegambia , s mali , guinea - bissau and guinea , sierra leone and liberia e to nigeria , s chad , central african republic and south sudan , s to gabon , congo , and w kenya ( w of rift valley ) ; also bioko , príncipe , são tomé and annobón , in gulf of guinea .
heuglin , 1863 – ethiopia and kenya ( e of rift valley ) s to s drcongo , angola , namibia ( caprivi strip ) , n & e botswana , mozambique and ne & se south africa ; also islands off tanzania ( pemba , zanzibar and mafia ) , and comoro is .
9 cm ; 7·7 - 11·8 g . nominate race has head and upper breast brownish - black , browner on hindneck and neck side , with variable amounts of greenish gloss on cap and . . .
contact and flight calls a wheezy
tsek
or
chik - chik
, twittering in flocks ; . . .
grassy open woodland and grassy semi - arid scrub ; areas with seeding grasses , including cultivations . . .
season prolonged , jan–sept ( mainly beginning with mar rains ) in ghana , aug–oct in ethiopia , mainly apr , may , oct and nov in . . .
resident . some local movements in response to rains and seeding of grasses ; longest distance of . . .
not globally threatened . common to abundant and widespread throughout most of range ; one of the commonest avian species in africa . estimated population in s mozambique ( sul . . .
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howard and moore 4th edition ( incl . corrigenda vol . 1 - 2 ) :
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del hoyo , j . , collar , n . j . , christie , d . a . , elliott , a . , fishpool , l . d . c . , boesman , p . and kirwan , g . m . 2016 . hbw and birdlife international illustrated checklist of the birds of the world . volume 2 : passerines . lynx edicions and birdlife international , barcelona , spain and cambridge , uk .
justification : this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be stable , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .
the global population size has not been quantified , but the species is described as common and widespread ( clement 1999 ) . trend justification : the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats .
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calls from a flock of at least 30 - 40 birds moving through open , disturbed secondary forest .
a small flock of bird seen sunning themselves in a tree in the early morning near a seed feeder in the garden .
small group feeding on the ground . habitat : secondary evergreen forest , shrubland , field , papyrus swamp .
bird seen calling from a phone wire in a suburb in the early morning .
several birds moving around in some tall grass next to a restaurant . frog calling from a well .
these birds sat silently for a 10 - 15 minutes . i had to throw things at them to get the to make noises . this recording documents the noises that the flock of 8 made as they flew off in response to me throwing a stick in their direction .
sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .
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) , in neotropical birds online ( t . s . schulenberg , editor ) . cornell lab of ornithology , ithaca , ny , usa . retrieved from neotropical birds online :
in africa , south of the sahara except for the southwest . also found on the islands of fernando po , principe , sao tome ' , pemba , zanzibar , mafia , comoros ; introduced to puerto rico .
active , vivacious , but may become sluggish if housed in a smaller enclosure . generally gregarious , but can become dominating while breeding .
black upper bill , silver lower bill ; brownish black head with metallic green or purplish sheen ; brownish black throat and upper breast ; brown back & wings ; shoulders sport a metallic green patch ; flanks are mottled brown & white ; black tail with brown - and - black cross - barred rump ; white belly ; dark grey or blackish legs .
subspecies tends to lack . juveniles have a black beak and are dark grey - brown with light grey - brown throat and breast , buff belly , brownish - buff flanks .
sexes appear similar , though the hen may appear a little less glossy , browner above , and sport a narrower head with a beak that tapers more than the cock ' s . only the male bird appears to show a courtship display where he erects his body ( but not head or breast ) fathers , presents himself in an upright posture to the female with his head pointed downward ; he will then click his bill , open it widely , and sing , at intervals protruding and vibrating his tongue , bobbing up - and - down or pivoting side - to - side toward and away from , and sometimes in a circle around , the female , while keeping his tail pointed toward her . the female may respond by crouching and quivering her tail .
small mixed millet , greens , egg food , mealworms , ant pupae , soaked seed .
savannahs & scrub , open woodland , forest edge , along rivers , marsh and swamp edges , cultivated areas , open clearings , farms & gardens .
) , soft greens , & flying termites on the wing , and feed both on the ground & on plants . birds may gather at a watering hole prior to roosting for the night . individual families roost in brooding or
slovenly
roosting nests ( which may be dismantled and rebuilt each afternoon ) . the cock tends to collect the nesting material while the hen tends to build the nest , often near active wasp nests ( presumably for protection from predation ) . nests are rounded and constructed of grass stems and blades , lined with fine grasses , vegetable down and fiber , hair and feathers , and built in small ( 3 to 10 feet tall ) trees ( mango & orange trees ) , although some pairs may make use of abandoned weavers ' or waxbills ' nests , bushes , shrubs , and niches in buildings . families may build nests close together and share the same tree . both cock and hen share incubation duties during the day , and both sit together in the nest at night . young are reared on green ( half - ripe ) seeds , greens , and insects . after fledging , young are lead back to the nest each night to roost . an alerted or active bird may flick its tail from side - to - side and flick the wings up and down . birds may try to ' escape ' to a dark area and become motionless , attempting to hide .
potential health problems include : overgrown toenails that require frequent trimming , obesity if given inadequate opportunity to exercise , a possibility for developing intestinal parasites due to insect - eating and ground - feeding habits , and egg - binding if suffering from nutritional deficiency or bred in cold conditions .
may be parasitized by the pin - tailed whydah . has produced hybrids with : spice finch (
breeding is restricted to the warm ( rainy / wet ) season , but may occur year - round near the equator .
introduce a breeding diet about one month prior to breeding . pairs may make use of semi - open nest boxes , nest baskets , or they may build their own nests in bushes using coconut fiber , leaves , grass , and feathers for padding . copulation tends to occur inside the privacy of the nest , and may be interrupted by other males if taking place outside of the nest . for rearing food , provide varied options of ample
nest checks tend to be tolerated . parents usually cease brooding the young around 10 days of age , so it is important to ensure an adequately warm enclosure at this time .
fledged young raise the wing furthest from the parent bird when begging for food . parents may escort fledglings back to the nest for about 2 weeks . after the young fledge , they do not need to be separated from the parents / breeding pairs , and may form a peaceful extended family from successive clutches . sometimes captive young from older clutches may try to feed their younger siblings . parent birds may drive these older juveniles out of the nest , but will often permit them to feed their younger siblings after they have fledged . if removing juveniles , wait 4 weeks until after they have fledged to ensure they are fully weaned . the spent nest can be removed so the parents build a fresh one for the next brood .
birds should be transitioned to an austerity diet after breeding , where soft foods , egg food , live food , and greens are limited , and ideally housed in flights or aviaries for exercise .
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animal , ( kingdom animalia ) , any of a group of multicellular eukaryotic organisms ( i . e . , as distinct from…
horse , ( equus caballus ) , a hoofed , herbivorous mammal of the family equidae . it comprises a single species , …
diet : forages and feeds on the ground . eats mainly grass seeds , some insects , fruit and nectar .
description : a blackish head ( cucullata is latin for ' hooded ' ) with violet - tinged cheeks . a grey - brown back and wing coverts with blackish - brown flight feathers .
breeding : both male and female build a round nest with a side entrance in around 14 days . from 2 to 8 eggs are laid from august to may and incubated for an average of 14 days .
a luxurious house boat on the chobe river which offers 2 or 3 night cruises on the chobe river . an excellent way to celebrate a special occasion or just to relax in these splendid surroundings
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the reference for the information following is
roberts birds of southern africa
, 7th edition * edited by par hockey , wrj dean and pg ryan , published by
the trustees of the john voelcker bird book fund .
- this is an old template for this website . please visit the home page for more : birds in sa
finch information . . . index of finch species . . . photos of the different finch species for identification . . . common health problems of finches . . . finch / canary diet / nutrition
males and females look alike . the adult has a stubby grey bill and a dark purple head . it is brown above and white below , with dark flank markings . they have iridescent green shoulder patches .
the nest is a large domed grass structure in a tree . the average clutch size consists of 4 - 8 white eggs .
its varied calls , includes a rreep - rreeep in flight and a twittering made when perched .
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throughout history , crows , ravens and other black birds were feared as symbols of evil or death . …
please note : any content published on this site is commentary or opinion , and is protected under free speech . it is only provided for educational and entertainment purposes , and is in no way intended as a substitute for professional advice . avianweb / beautyofbirds or any of their authors / publishers assume no responsibility for the use or misuse of any of the published material . your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms .
the map of the kruger you see on this page shows the areas ( coloured orange ) where this bird has been identified . the basic information was provided by the avian demographic unit based at uct and i created the maps from that information . . . the green dots show the locations of the various kruger national park rest camps
for in - depth birding information please refer to these authoritative avian references . . .
the main reference source for this data was
roberts - birds of southern africa , 7th edition
. other references were
newmans birds of the kruger park
by keith newman published circa 1980 . names in foreign languages were obtained from the percy fitzpatrick institute of african ornithology , university of cape town website , urltoken
habitat : savannahs & scrub , open woodland , forest edge , along rivers , cultivated areas , open clearings , farms & gardens .
description : black upper bill , silver lower bill ; brownish black head with metallic green or purplish sheen ; brownish black throat and upper breast ; brown back & wings ; shoulders sport a metallic green patch ; flanks are mottled brown & white ; black tail with brown - and - black cross - barred rump ; white belly ; dark grey or blackish legs . l . c . cucullata may also have some variable glossy green patches along the flanks which the l . c . scutata subspecies tends to lack . juveniles have a black beak and are dark grey - brown with light grey - brown throat and breast , buff belly , brownish - buff flanks . sexes appear similar , though the hen may appear a little less glossy , browner above , and sport a narrower head with a beak that tapers more than the cock’s .
breeding : breeding is restricted to the warm ( rainy / wet ) season , but may occur year - round near the equator . they like semi - open nest boxes , nest baskets , or they may build their own nests in bushes using coconut fiber , leaves , grass , and feathers for padding . copulation tends to occur inside the privacy of the nest . for rearing food , provide varied options of ample sprouted seed , egg food , and live food . after the young fledge , they do not need to be separated from the parents / breeding pairs , and may form a peaceful extended family from successive clutches .
diet : paradise pet products premium finch blend , dried insect blend , greens and eggfood .
description male s and females are similar in appearance . i sexed these birds by behavior . watching for pair bonding and for males to protect their females by aggressively chasing others away . otherwise , males have a nice , high pitched song with a bit of a dance . mostly just posture . i found no visual differences at all .
i bred these birds as single pairs in my standard breeding cage with some fake plants fixed to the outside of the cage ( madigascar cage ) with one pair i used an outside nesting box of standard dimensions and in another i placed a converted milk box ( milk box nest ) they readily took to both types of boxes . i offered strands of coco fiber for them to construct their nests . small white feathers and other soft materials were offered , but for the most part the nest was a nice weave of coco fibers .
i did successfully foster a clutch under society finches , but quite frankly , i found the madagascars to be excellent parents quite capable of rearing the young on their own .
resting birds were housed as a colony . some feather plucking may start if crowded or the birds begin to get anxious to start breeding again , otherwise they were quite peaceful together .
robin restall in
munias and mannikins
indicates that captive bred birds showed signs melanism and that the belly color had darker tones . thus far i have not encountered this .
the southern african bird atlas project ( sabap1 ) in namibia gathered a huge amount of distribution data between 1970 and 1993 .
ver time , these will give valuable information on population distribution , habitat requirements , trends and so on .
if you have a lot of records and it would be very time - consuming to enter them manually you can also send us a spreadsheet with the details , and associated photos . use the contact us form to get in touch .
advertise your bnb , guest house , hotel , private game park or whatever on this site for only r25 . 00 per month !
it is a small finch - like bird weighing around 10 grams . it is about 9 cm in length .
this is a very common species , even in urban areas , and is a familiar sight in gardens over the eastern portion of the country .
their nests are a grassy structure in a tree . sometimes they nest by themselves and other times in colonies . up to 8 eggs are laid .
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mannikins are finchlike birds , mostly brownish and often with black throats and fine barring . large flocks occur in open country from africa to australia . many are popular cage birds . the 9 - centimetre ( 3 . 5 - inch )
) , also called white - backed munia . the former is established in hawaii , where it is called
manakin , ( subfamily piprinae ) , common name given to about 60 species of small , stubby , generally short - tailed birds abundant in american tropical forests . manakins are short - billed birds that range in size from 8 . 5 to 16 cm ( 3 . 5 to 6 . 5 inches ) long and weigh a mere 10–40 grams ( 0 . 35–1 . 4 ounces ) . females and immature…
estrildidae , songbird family , order passeriformes , consisting of approximately 140 species of waxbills and other small finchlike birds of the old world , many of which are favourite cage birds . members range in size from 7 . 5 to 15 cm ( 3 to 6 inches ) long . they have short , stout bills and short legs…
silverbill , , any of several birds named for bill colour . some finches of the genus lonchura ( see munia ) are called silverbill . lichenops ( hymenops ) perspicillata , the spectacled tyrant , or silverbill , of central south america , is a tyrant…
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woodland kingfisher , kruger national park , south africa . [ photo trevor hardaker © ]
the woodland kingfisher is common across sub - saharan africa , occupying a wide variety of woodland and savanna habitats . it is quite an adaptable hunter , feeding mainly insects but also small vertebrates , such as fish , snakes and even other birds ! it is an intra - african migrant , arriving in southern africa around september - december , breeding then leaving for central africa around march - april . it usually nests in tree cavities , either natural or excavated by barbets or woodpeckers , laying 2 - 4 eggs incubated by both sexes . the chicks grow rapidly , cared for by both parents , leaving the nest at about 18 - 24 days old . they remain dependent on their parents for about 5 more weeks after fledging , after which they usually disperse .
common across sub - saharan africa , although absent from arid areas such as the deserts of somalia . in southern africa it occurs in northern namibia ( including the caprivi strip ) , northern and eastern botswana , zimbabwe , mozambique and north - eastern south africa . it is highly adaptable , occupying a wide range of woodland and savanna habitats , provided there are streams , rivers or lakes . it also occurs in man - altered areas , such as parks , gardens and farmland .
distribution of woodland kingfisher in southern africa , based on statistical smoothing of the records from first sa bird atlas project ( © animal demography unit , university of cape town ; smoothing by birgit erni and francesca little ) . colours range from dark blue ( most common ) through to yellow ( least common ) . see here for the latest distribution from the sabap2 .
intra - african migrant , arriving in southern africa from september - december , going through its breeding cycle before leaving for central africa in the period from march - april .
it is quite an adaptable hunter , feeding mainly on insects , supplemented with small vertebrates , such as fish , snakes and even other birds ! it usually hunts from a perch , searching for food . once it spots prey it dives down to the ground , grabs the prey item with its bill then flies back up to its perch , where it usually beats the animal to death . the following food items have been recorded in its diet :


issoria baumanni , baumann 's mountain fritillary , is a butterfly in the nymphalidae family .

it is found in nigeria , cameroon , the democratic republic of the congo , uganda , rwanda , burundi and tanzania .

the habitat consists of grassland , marshy areas and forest margins at high altitudes .

the larvae feed on viola abyssinica .

issoria baumanni

baumann’s mountain fritillary ( issoria baumanni ) ssp . katangae butterfly at mgahinga gorilla national park
baumann’s mountain fritillary butterfly ( issoria baumanni ) ssp . katangae seen at mgahinga gorilla national park , 17 . 07 . 2016
baumann’s mountain fritillary ( issoria baumanni ) ssp . katangae butterfly at mgahinga gorilla national park - by dr _ m _ z - jungledragon
issoria baumanni , baumann’s mountain fritillary , is a butterfly in the nymphalidae family . it is found in nigeria , cameroon , the democratic republic of congo , uganda , rwanda , burundi and tanzania .
issoria hanningtoni elwes , 1889 ; trans . ent . soc . lond . 1889 : 558
issoria smaragdifera ; [ bow ] : pl . 104 , f . 15 ; [ afrl ]
issoria lathonia attenuata de sagarra , 1926 ; butll . inst . catal . hist . nat . ( 2 ) 6 ( 6 - 7 ) : 134
issoria lathonia issaea [ sic , recte isaaea ] ; huang , 2001 ; huang , 2003 , neue ent . nachr . 55 : 80 ( note )
issoria are represented in europe and have a closely related genus , yramea , in south america . baumann’s mountain fritillary flies in high altitude grassland in rwanda and burundi ; it is fond of flowers . it is a member of the heliconiinae sub - family .
issoria lathonia ; [ bow ] : pl . 2 , f . 19 - 20 ; [ ebw ] ; [ mrs ] , 479 ; [ bmat ] : 51 , pl . 16 , f . 17 - 21 ; [ bru2 ] : 40 , pl . 28 , f . 7 - 9 ; [ otakar kudrna ]
eu , naf , canary islands , tr , c . asia , himalaya , baluchistan , safed koh , chitral - sikkim , chin hills , w . china . see [ maps ]
672x556 ( ~ 115kb ) upperside a road on a field surrounded by birch forests at the village klyuchi , iskitim district , novosibirsk province , west siberia , russia . 1st october 1988 , photo © oleg kosterin
1128x684 ( ~ 103kb ) underside male female a meadow in the koyon river valley at the village morozovo , iskitim district , novosibirsk province , west siberia , russia . 25th july 1998 , photo © oleg kosterin
600x450 ( ~ 50kb ) sweden , ekebo , julita , 17 . 9 . 2003 , photo © leif wahlberg
559x745 ( ~ 67kb ) upperside sweden , ekebo , julita , 17 . 9 . 2003 , photo © leif wahlberg
689x919 ( ~ 94kb ) underside sweden , ekebo , julita , 8 . 8 . 2004 , photo © leif wahlberg
800x905 ( ~ 106kb ) underside russia , tatarstan , varkljed - bodja ( 56°13 ' n 52°49 ' e ) , about 20km s of agriz , 8 . 8 . 2004 , photo © markku savela
998x905 ( ~ 236kb ) upperside russia , north caucasus , adygea republic , maikop , khanskaya stanitsa , khanskie ponds . 14th july 2008 , photo © oleg kosterin
1049x864 ( ~ 174kb ) russia , north caucasus , adygea republic , maikop , khanskaya stanitsa , khanskie ponds . 14th july 2008 , photo © oleg kosterin
larva on viola , v . canina [ sprk ] , v . odorata [ bmat ] , v . tricolor , v . arvensis , anchusa , rubus , onobrychis [ bru2 ] , 40
argynnis isaeea gray , 1846 ; descr . lep . ins . nepal : 11 ( nom . nud . )
rathora isaeae [ sic ] f . geogr . isaeoides reuss , 1925 ; iris 39 ( 4 ) : 218
argynnis smaragdifera butler , 1895 ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1895 : 629
argynnis excelsior butler , [ 1896 ] ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1895 : 729 , pl . 42 , f . 4 ; tl : ruwenzori
papilio cytheris drury , [ 1773 ] ; illust . nat . hist . exot . insects 2 : index , 7 , pl . 4 , f . 3 - 4 ; tl : falkland is .
yramea cytheris siga ; [ nl4a ] , # 2290b ; benyamini , ugarte , shapiro , mielke , pyrcz & bálint , 2014 , bol . mus . nac . hist . nat . chile 63 : 18 ( list )
argynnis inca staudinger , 1894 ; dt . ent . z . iris 7 ( 1 ) : 68 , pl . 2 , f . 1 - 2 ; tl : bolivia
yramea lathonioides ; [ nl4a ] , # 2292 ; benyamini , ugarte , shapiro , mielke , pyrcz & bálint , 2014 , bol . mus . nac . hist . nat . chile 63 : 18 ( list )
yramea modesta modesta ; benyamini , ugarte , shapiro , mielke , pyrcz & bálint , 2014 , bol . mus . nac . hist . nat . chile 63 : 19 ( list )
yramea modesta araucania benyamini , 2014 ; bol . mus . nac . hist . nat . chile 63 : 19 ; tl : vn . laima , 1200 - 1400m , chile
yramea sobrina ; [ nl4a ] , # 2294 ; benyamini , ugarte , shapiro , mielke , pyrcz & bálint , 2014 , bol . mus . nac . hist . nat . chile 63 : 18 ( list )
checklist of afrotropical papilionoidea and hesperoidea ; compiled by mark c . williams , 7th ed . ( 2008 ) ( april 2007 ) ;
the dates of e . j . c . esper ' s die schmetterlinge in abblidungen . . . 1776 - [ 1830 ] ; archives of natural history ( 1981 ) 10 ( 2 ) : 251 - 254
[ ² ] this may require parentheses or not . i don ' t have the necessary information for this taxon .
an updated list of the butterflies of chile ( lepidoptera , papilionoidea and hesperioidea ) including distribution , flight period and conservation status . part i , comprising the families : papilionidae , pieridae , nympalidae ( in part ) and hesperiidae . describing a new species of hypsochila ( pieridae ) and a new subspecies of yramea modesta ( nymphalidae )
on a small collection of butterflies sent by mr . richard crawshay from the country west of lake nyasa
on lepidoptera recently collected in british east africa by mr . g . f . scott elliot
the genera of diurnal lepidoptera , comprising their generic characters , a notice of their habitats and transformations , and a catalogue of the species of each genus ; illustrated with 86 plates by w . c . hewitson
die schmetterlinge in abbildungen nach der natur mit beschreibungen . theil i . die tagschmetterlinge . supplement theil 1 . abschnitt 1
systema naturae per regna tria naturae , secundum clases , ordines , genera , species , cum characteribus , differentiis , symonymis , locis . tomis i . 10th edition
a catalogue of the lepidopterous insects in the museum of the hon . east - india company in horsfield & moore ,
die androconien von yramea cytheris drury und nächtststehenden analogen schuppenbildungen bei dione hbn . und brenthis hbn . ( lep . )
weymer in weymer & maassen , 1890 lepidoptera gesammelt auf einer reise durch colombia , ecuador , peru , brasilien , argentinien und bolivien in den jahren 1868 - 1877 von alphons stübel reisen süd - america : 1 - 182 , pl . 1 - 9
if you have corrections , comments or information to add into these pages , just send mail to markku savela keep in mind that the taxonomic information is copied from various sources , and may include many inaccuracies . expert help is welcome .
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curators : konstantin efetov , vasiliy feoktistov , svyatoslav knyazev , evgeny komarov , stan korb , alexander zhakov .
species catalog enables to sort by characteristics such as expansion , flight time , etc . .
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a widespread inhabitant of the rainforest zone of africa . single individuals usually seen perching on leaves or flowers . male a brilliant greenish - blue above , female dark brown , but large silver spots of underside make it unmistakable .
the table mountain beauty ( aeropetes tulbaghia ) has been nominated by lepsoc to become south africa’s national butterfly . it is a large and attractive butterfly , widespread throughout south africa ' s mountains and endemic to sa and zimbabwe . it is the only pollinator of many of our wild flowers including the red disa ( disa uniflora ) .
one of the most strikingly red butterflies of the south african east coast . fresh males stand out like beacons . the gregarious larvae feed on the attractive indigenous shrub / small tree , african dog - rose , xylotheca kraussiana . gardeners whose plant gets defoliated by these larvae – causing no permanent damage – will be able later on to enjoy the presence of this ' flying flower . '
this astonishing sphingid was found in the kibale forest of western uganda . whilst taking a break and lying on some undergrowth we spotted this moth deep in the undergrowth on some dry leaves . its resting posture is vastly different from that of set specimens .
the mulanje tiger moth ( callioratis grandis ) , is an extremely localised species known only from mount mulanje in malawi . it feeds solely on the mulanje cycad , encephalartos gratus , and was here raised to full species status and assessed as critically endangered using the iucn criteria .
one of several atlas moths found in africa , and of two found in south africa . they are related to the giant atlas moths of south - east asia , which are among the world ' s largest insects . atlas moths typically have large transparent ' windows ' in their wings , and a ' snake ' s - head ' pattern on the forewing tip . this species ' larvae feed on croton and zizyphus .
afrotropical swordtails ( graphium ) species were examined and their life histories described in a metamorphosis article and some relationships were suggested . graphium leonidas zanzibaricus was reinstated as a valid taxon in the same article .
pilodeudorix baginei is a jewel of mabira forest that makes a sudden and dramatic hilltop appearance at about 5pm when many a lepidopterist has already called it a day and headed off home . they suddenly appear in fair numbers and dart around before settling with open wings right before your eyes ! but once again it’s a male only party , with females being ever elusive .
the strange hovering behaviour of male scarce fig - tree blues ( myrina dermaptera dermaptera ) was observed and photographed for the first time by steve woodhall around a fig tree at shongweni in kzn .
this butterfly is found throughout most of the afrotropical region ( including arabia ) . there is a separate race ( ssp . ramonza ) in madagascar , some of the south - west seychelles islands and the comoros . in south africa , is found from about east london , north - eastwards . an energetic , territorial butterfly which is very common in northern namibia .
this magnificent butterfly is found across central and eastern africa . its habitat consists of forests , including riparian forests and heavy woodland . it is a mimic of day - flying moths , and glides effortlessly across the forest floor .
this butterfly is a well - known and widespread species , found from west africa to kenya and south to northern zambia . it prefers secondary forest and is a frequent visitor to damp , muddy places . cyrestis camillus is the only species within the cyrestinae subfamily .
iolaus aemulus is one of the epamera subgenus , many of which have gorgeously marked undersides with orange or red stripes on a pearly white ground . short - barred sapphires are seldom seen on the wing ; the best way to see one is to find a pupa and wait for it to eclose , as i did with this male .
the silver silk cocoons are easy to spot in the tops of the leafless marula trees during winter . the cocoons even have small holes in their sides that resemble parasite infestation , probably as a defence against parasitism . when in flying in the moonlight , the pale spatulate ends of the long tails appear as a strange flickering pulsation which makes it’s flight path disorientating for the observer .
this critically endangered butterfly flies high in the wolkberg mountains of limpopo , and is restricted to three small localities . its larvae feed on rock lichen and are cryptic and exceptionally difficult to find . the adults are bright and colourful but have to wait until the clouds lift to fly .
this spectacular butterfly that is very common but seldom seen . they breed on a variety of figs and the larvae are easily found on the terminal fresh leaves . the females are often observed ovipositing by walking up and down the branches of their selected fig - tree . otherwise it is an extremely rapid flyer .
vestal birdling is a small white moth in the family geometridae ( subfamily sterrhinae ) . like many small lepidoptera it relies on bird - dropping resemblance to a void predation . the wings are marked with tiny metallic scales , which glitter in the light .
these calypsos were very common last june in the mabira forest of uganda . mudpuddling in the power - line clearing was their main occupation , congregating in their hundreds in groups made up exclusively of calypsos .
this is a large central african rainforest butterfly that likes to perch with open wings in the sunlight , and is not averse to a slow and steady approach – which makes it every photographers dream subject ! the brilliant deep blue of the male almost matches that of the celebrated morphos of latin america .
this butterfly is closely related to chrysoritis dicksoni but its habitat is totally different , flying high in the drakensberg foothills in small colonies .
hawkmoths are mostly nocturnal , whose larvae have a characteristic horn on the tail end . oleander hawk is one of the most attractive species , found almost all over africa , but also in asia and southern europe . its larva uses many other plants besides oleander ( nerium ) e . g . carissa ( num - num ) , adenia and mango .
this butterfly is found in central african rainforests , along paths in dense primary forest , and it appears to favour small hills and ridges within this habitat . the afriodinia genus contains most of the representatives of the riodinidae family in africa .
while driving across central gabon we stopped at an informal rubbish - dump with a strong colony of mosquitoes , but also a fair colony of these amazing butterflies . their uppersides are drab - brownish and they settle on the ground with wings open , which masks their identity . closer inspection revealed their astonishing underside colours . 5 days later at the same spot they were gone .
those who are familiar with south africa’s blue banded papilio nireus lyaeus will be astonished at the broad blue bands of this central african swallowtail . it is a common and very powerful flyer , but luckily has a weakness for mud - puddling and lantana flowers .
rocksitters are endemic to south africa ; there are four species , of which amakosa is the most widespread with several subspecies . the adults rely on their camouflaged undersides when they sit on lichen covered rocks . they lack mouthparts , cannot feed , and are short - lived . the larvae feed on lichens and take almost a year to fully feed .
this beautiful moth with it’s psychedelic iridescence is not uncommon in the north - western forests of madagascar . it prefers flying in the late afternoon , and luckily for the observer it frequently settles with open wings on low vegetation but always with it’s hindwings pointing up . this moth will literally stop you it your tracks…
morant’s orange is the only representative of this genus found in south africa . it is widely distributed throughout much of eastern africa , but seldom common . its habitat is savanna , including brachystegia woodland ; males are regular hill - toppers . larval host plants include various combretum species .
this lycaenid butterfly is found in south eastern africa the habitat consists of woodland , coastal forests , grassland and grassy areas in savanna . both sexes feed from the flowers of herbaceous plants and small flowers . the larvae feed on lantana camara .
a relatively common and very striking species , whose underside resembles a dead leaf , this butterfly is widespread throughout tropical africa . subspecies rattrayi is found in western uganda , rwanda , burundi and north east tanzania .
welcome to the lepidopterists’ society of africa ( lepsoc africa ) , a group of enthusiasts dedicated to the study and conservation of butterflies and moths in the afrotropical region . our society is a forum for individuals or societies who are interested in this field – we endeavour to publish material , circulate information among our members , participate in relevant conservation and research projects , and to coordinate public awareness of butterflies and moths within africa . by joining lepsoc africa you will be gaining access to the fascinating world of afrotropical butterflies and moths and to the equally fascinating people associated with them ! jeremy dobson
this software programme allows lepsoc africa members to upload their collection and observation data into a database , and to use collection curation tools such as specimen labels . lepibase combines all these records submitted by members and allows lepidoptera distribution data to be stored and analysed to produce distribution maps .
the corel ( custodians of rare and endangered lepidoptera ) programme was initiated by lepsoc africa in 2011 and aims to secure the survival of our threatened butterfly and moth species . it is funded by the brenton blue trust .
the caterpillar rearing group ( crg ) was launched in 2012 and combines the efforts of both expert lepidopterists and citizen scientists to discover the life histories of all lepidoptera ( moths and butterflies ) occurring in africa . if you’ve found a strange caterpillar eating your plants and you want to know what it will become , this is the project for you . you don ' t have to be a lepsoc africa member to take part , but if the
rearing bug
bites you will want to meet your fellow rearers and becoming a member is the best way to do this .
lepimap is an african lepidoptera mapping project . it is run jointly by the animal demography unit of the university of cape town ( adu ) and the lepsoc africa . the aim of the project is to determine the distribution and conservation status of butterflies and moths in africa . it combines the enthusiasm of citizen scientist ( photographers ) with the expertise of lepidopterists who can identify their pictures . you don ' t have to be a lepsoc africa member to participate .
salca ( southern african lepidoptera conservation assessment ) was initiated in 2015 by lepsoc africa as a response to sanbi ' s call for experts to contribute to the five year national biodiversity assessment ( nba ) programme . the project aims to assess the conservation status of southern african butterflies and moths , and is due for completion during 2017 . this is a members only project , as it requires a high degree of expertise , and is funded by sanbi .
this project aims to fill biodiversity information gaps , to promote better informed development decision making in the karoo , in order to conserve important biodiversity assets . the project was launched in 2016 , and is funded by sanbi . experts from thirteen
taxon groups
are contributing , and lepsoc africa has been contracted to conduct butterfly surveys on 50 sites thoughout the so - called shale gas exploration area of the karoo . participants need to be members ( permits are required ) , who are expert at butterfly identification , and the project will run until december 2018 .
the butterfly evolutionary diversity project ( bed ) is a three - year research enterprise led by sanbi . bed project seeks to map patterns of evolutionary diversity for butterflies across south african landscapes . it aims , through collecting dna samples of all south african butterfly species , to identify areas not only of high butterfly species richness and conservation concern , but also areas of high evolutionary importance . lepsoc africa will be the main collecting agency for this project , which will also provide the phlyogenetic analyses to enable us to resolve a number of taxonomic issues .
please note that our secure online payment facility with payfast has been successfully launched and you can now pay your membership subscriptions via payfast or eft . thank you for your continued support .
register , link your card , and swipe your card at every myplanet registered store . existing card holders can support lepsoc in addition to their current beneficiary .