Photo: Joseph Smit / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Hooded Mannikin
Lonchura spectabilis
Hooded Mannikin (Lonchura spectabilis) — 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 Hooded Mannikin (Lonchura spectabilis) is a member of the Estrildidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 11.5 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 spectabilis
Where it lives
Northern, southeastern New Guinea and New Britain (southeastern Bismarck Arch.)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.5 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Hooded Mannikin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Hooded Mannikin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Hooded Mannikin (Lonchura spectabilis) is a species of bird in the Estrildidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU n, se New Guinea and New Britain (se Bismarck Arch.).
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.5 g, with a wing length of about 4.9 cm and a tail of around 3.4 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 214,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Hooded Mannikin?
The Hooded Mannikin is a very small bird that weighs around 11.5 g.
Where does the Hooded Mannikin live?
The Hooded Mannikin is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU n, se New Guinea and New Britain (se Bismarck Arch.), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Hooded Mannikin belong to?
The Hooded Mannikin (Lonchura spectabilis) belongs to the Estrildidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Hooded Mannikin eat?
The Hooded Mannikin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Hooded Mannikin migrate?
The Hooded Mannikin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Hooded 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.
What sound does the Hooded Mannikin make?
1 real field recording of the Hooded Mannikin — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Hooded Mannikin's range?
The Hooded Mannikin has a mapped global range of about 214,000 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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