Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Bronze Mannikin
Find out more about this feathered Highway resident below.
The Bronze Mannikin is a very common bird in the Highway area, almost always seen in small flocks as they feed on grass seeds. There are two other species of mannikin in our area – the similar-sized Red-backed Mannikin and the slightly larger Magpie Mannikin.
Also read: Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Black-bellied Starling
Description
This is a very small bird at 9.5cm and a weight of just 10g. It is a compact bird with a short, black tail. It has a stubby beak with a blue-black upper mandible while the lower one is pale grey. It is black to brownish black on the head, chin, throat and chest, with some purple-green iridescence on the face and sides of the breast. It also has small, bronze sheen patches on the tops of the wings. The underparts are white while the upperparts are greyish brown. The males and females are very similar in appearance and can’t be easily differentiated.
Distribution
The Bronze Mannikin is found in the moist parts of South Africa from Gqeberha in the south, through most of KwaZulu-Natal and the northern provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and North West.
Habitat
The Bronze Mannikin enjoys grasslands and forest edges, and although they enjoy gardens with plenty of trees, they will seldom be seen deep in a forest.
Feeding
The Bronze Mannikin is a seed eater, and in the Highway area, it is often spotted on the long fronds of the Ribbon Grass (Setaria megaphylla). It will also opportunistically feed on nectar and termites.
Breeding
If conditions are good, the Bronze Mannikins will nest year-round with the exception of mid-winter, and will raise as many as four broods each year. Nests are large, domed grass structures in trees. Four to eight small, white eggs are laid, and incubation takes between 12 and 14 days. Daytime incubation is done mainly by the female, but duties are shared at night. Chicks fledge after three weeks and are reared on soft, green seeds and insects.
Predators and threats
This species is not threatened and is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Adults are preyed upon by the common fiscal, the fork-tailed drongo and little sparrowhawk. Nests are vulnerable, and the eggs and juveniles are preyed upon by cats, mice, kingfisher, pied crow and African goshawk. This species has adapted well to urbanisation, and the population has grown as urban areas have expanded.
Local information
The Bronze Mannikin is very gregarious, and small flocks of up to 20 individuals can be spotted in most urban gardens in the Highway area where there are seeding grasses. You will also find them in all the grassland areas, including the Msinsi Grasslands in Kloof.
Interesting facts
Most birds will rest at night by perching in a suitable safe spot, but the Mannikins roost at night in specially made ball-like non-breeding nests – a sort of bedroom for birds! Sometimes, these roosting nests are rebuilt frequently and as a communal effort as the nests can host eight to 20 birds.
For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
