Red-backed Mannikin

Afrikaans name: Rooirugfret

Red-backed Mannikins are fairly common garden birds in some areas

Photo © Steven Herbert

Lonchura nigriceps

The Red-backed Mannikin is found over most of the southern half of Africa. It is an attractive bird with much broghter colouring than the Bronze Mannikin.

It is sometimes referred to as the Brown-backed Mannikin or Brown-backed Munia.

This little finch is mainly a seed eater but it will take small insects at times.

Red-backed Mannikins are normally seen in small flocks and they often mix with Bronze Mannikins. When seen together the Red-backed Mannikin is easily identified from the drabber Bronze Mannikin.

They make a ball-like nest in a tree. The nest is normally made from grass or lichen. They lay up to 7 eggs.

In South Africa the Red-backed Mannikin is mainly found along the KwaZulu-Natal coast as well as a bit of Mpumalanga.

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References and further reading

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Year Published: 1983 - Page: 320

A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Year Published: 1959 - Page: 29

A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Year Published: 1975 - Page: 29

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Year Published: 1985 - Page: 220

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Year Published: 1987 - Page: 270

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Year Published: 1999 - Page: 81

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Year Published: 1991 - Page: 222

Ian Sinclair's Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Year Published: 1988 - Page: 318

Newman's Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Year Published: 1984 - Page: 430

Newman's Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Year Published: 2000 - Page: 430

Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Year Published: 1949 - Page: 353

Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Year Published: 1975 - Page: 573

Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Year Published: 1981 - Page: 584

Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Year Published: 1985 - Page: 765

Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Year Published: 1993 - Page: 764

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Year Published: 1993 - Page: 398

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Year Published: 2011 - Page: 430

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Year Published: 1989 - Page: 131

List of South African Birds