Photo: Rand, 1940 / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-breasted Mannikin
Lonchura teerinki
Black-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura teerinki) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura teerinki) is a member of the Estrildidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 13.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Estrildidae Waxbills, Munias & Allies
- Genus Lonchura
- Species teerinki
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.3 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-breasted Mannikin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-breasted Mannikin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura teerinki) is a member of the Estrildidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU montane wc New Guinea.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.3 g, with a wing length of about 5 cm and a tail of around 4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 16,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-breasted Mannikin?
The Black-breasted Mannikin is a very small bird that weighs around 13.3 g.
Where does the Black-breasted Mannikin live?
The Black-breasted Mannikin is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU montane wc New Guinea, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Black-breasted Mannikin belong to?
The Black-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura teerinki) belongs to the Estrildidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-breasted Mannikin eat?
The Black-breasted Mannikin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Black-breasted Mannikin migrate?
The Black-breasted Mannikin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-breasted Mannikin endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Black-breasted Mannikin's range?
The Black-breasted Mannikin has a mapped global range of about 16,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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