Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Magpie Mannikin
Spermestes fringilloides
Magpie Mannikin (Spermestes fringilloides) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Magpie Mannikin (Spermestes fringilloides) is a member of the Estrildidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 16.8 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 Spermestes
- Species fringilloides
Where it lives
Senegal and Gambia to Liberia and east to Ethiopia and Kenya and south to South Africa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16.8 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Magpie Mannikin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Magpie Mannikin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Magpie Mannikin (Spermestes fringilloides) belongs to the Estrildidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Senegal and Gambia to Liberia and e to Ethiopia and Kenya and s to South Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16.8 g, with a wing length of about 5.7 cm and a tail of around 3.7 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 1.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Magpie Mannikin?
The Magpie Mannikin is a small bird that weighs around 16.8 g.
Where does the Magpie Mannikin live?
The Magpie Mannikin is found across Africa with a range covering AF Senegal and Gambia to Liberia and e to Ethiopia and Kenya and s to South Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Magpie Mannikin belong to?
The Magpie Mannikin (Spermestes fringilloides) belongs to the Estrildidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Magpie Mannikin eat?
The Magpie Mannikin is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Magpie Mannikin migrate?
The Magpie Mannikin is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Magpie 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 Magpie Mannikin make?
1 real field recording of the Magpie Mannikin — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Magpie Mannikin's range?
The Magpie Mannikin has a mapped global range of about 1.5 million 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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