Alternative name: Magpie Munia
- Spermestes fringilloides
Lonchura fringilloides
Identification
12 cm
- Black head, throat, hindneck and rump
- Dark brown upperparts
- White streaked scapulars
Distribution
Southern and central Africa.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Subspecies pica is not recognized by all authorities[2].
Magpie Mannikin is sometimes placed in the genus Lonchura.
Habitat
Subtropical and tropical (lowland) moist shrubland, riparian forest and dry grassland habitat. Rocky outcrops.
Behaviour
Diet
Their diet consists of grass, bamboo and rice seeds; also cereal grains .
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved December 2014)
