Bronze mannikin

The bronze mannikin was formally described in 1837 by the English naturalist William Swainson and given the binomial name Spermestes cucullata.{{ cite book | last=Swainson | first=William | author-link=William Swainson | year=1837 | title=The Natural History of the Birds of Western Africa | volume=1 | location=Edinburgh | publisher=W.H. Lizars | pages=201–203 | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_FAwAAAAAQAAJ/page/n265/mode/1up }} The specific epithet is from Late Latin cucullatus meaning "hooded".{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | page=124 }} The type locality is Senegal.{{ cite book | editor-last=Paynter | editor-first=Raymond A. Jr | year=1968 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=14 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | location=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=370 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14481571 }}

Two subspecies are recognised:{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date=July 2021 | title=Waxbills, parrotfinches, munias, whydahs, Olive Warbler, accentors, pipits | work=IOC World Bird List Version 11.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/waxbills/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | accessdate=30 July 2021 }}

• S. c. cucullata Swainson, 1837 – Senegal and Gambia to south Sudan, Uganda, west Kenya and the island of Bioko
• S. c. scutata Heuglin, 1863 – Ethiopia and east Kenya to southeast South Africa, east Angola and Comoro Islands

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The bronze mannikin is one of the smallest munia species, measuring 9–10 cm in length and weighing 7–12 grams. The adult is a compact bird with a short black tail, and stubby black and pale grey (not distinctly bluish) mandibles. It is black to brownish black on the head, chin, throat and center of the chest, with some purple-green iridescence on the face and sides of the breast. It has greyish brown upper parts and white underparts with irregular barring on the flanks and rump. A small green iridescent patch is present on the outer scapular feathers, besides, especially in the western race, the sides of the lower breast. Wing coverts and remiges are bordered in a paler or warmer tone. The sexes are similar. Immature birds are dun brown above with buff head and underpart plumage. They moult into full adult plumage by age six months, when the males also begin to sing and exhibit breeding behaviour. The race S. c. scutata has barred rather than bronzy green plumage at the junction of the lower breast and flanks. Rump and upper tail feathers only finely barred and almost uniformly dark. These characters are however somewhat variable and unpredictable.

This species has a number of calls including a {{not a typo|rreep-rreeep}} in flight, a twittering when perched, consisting of various wheezy or buzzing notes. The song is a concatenated and somewhat repetitive series of notes.

The bronze mannikin is native to mainland Africa and the Bioko, Pemba, Zanzibar, Mafia and Comoro islands, and has been introduced to Puerto Rico, where it is established. The two accepted races have an extensive region around the upper Nile River which is inhabited by birds with intermediate features. A proposed third race, S. c. subsp. tressellata Clancey, 1964 is not generally recognized.

The bronze mannikin is a tiny gregarious bird which feeds mainly on seeds, including wild grass seeds, millet, rice and grain. Alternatively termites, nectar or strands of algae may also be eaten. Before going to roost at nightfall, they usually visit a watering hole where vegetation is hanging into the water. They roost at night in ball-shaped nests, which in the non-breeding season are built solely for this purpose. These slovenly communal roosting nests are dismantled (for reuse of material) and rebuilt almost daily at the same or a new location, in a communal effort. Each party, numbering 8 to 20 birds, seems to be dominated by a single adult male. The flock defends the immediate vicinity of a nest against intruders, but newcomers to a flock are easily accepted. They may associate with waxbill or other mannikin species, and may also use their vacated nests. Pairs often allopreen.

They are incessant nest builders that may raise up to four broods a year, given favourable circumstances.{{cite book |last1=Clement |first1=Peter |last2=Harris |first2=Allan |last3=Davis |first3=John |title=Finches & sparrows |date=1999 |publisher=Princeton University Press |location=Princeton, NJ |isbn=978-0691034249 |pages=409–410 }} The nest is a large domed grass structure in a tree, into which 4 to 8 small, white eggs are laid. Incubation takes 12 days, and chicks fledge after three weeks, and are independent in another three weeks. The chicks are reared on soft green seeds and insects.

File:Lonchura cucullata 0004.jpg|A party of bronze mannikins foraging on the ground. Alarm notes of a sentry bird will warn of approaching danger

File:Bronze Mannikin - Uganda H8O4101 (22366360183).jpg|An adult bronze mannikin in Uganda carries the seed head of green Guinea grass for nest-building. Green Digitaria and Sporobolus grasses are also used.{{cite book|last=Tarboton |first=Warwick |title=A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds |year=2001 |publisher=Struik |location=Cape Town |isbn=978-1-86872-616-5 |page=260}}

File:Bronze Munia (Lonchura cucullata).jpg|Immature bird

{{Reflist}}

• Birds of The Gambia by Barlow, Wacher and Disley, {{ISBN|1-873403-32-1}}
• [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=8700&m=0 BirdLife Species Factsheet]

• Bronze mannikin - [http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/857.pdf Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds].
• [https://thebdi.org/2022/03/23/bronze-mannikin-spermestes-cucullata/ Bronze mannikin] Structured guide to the species in southern Africa

{{Taxonbar|from1=Q28847333|from2=Q1300907}}

bronze mannikin

Category:Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa

Category:Birds of the Comoros

Category:Birds of Southern Africa

Category:Birds of the Gulf of Guinea

bronze mannikin

Category:Birds of East Africa

Category:Taxa named by William Swainson