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Chestnut-breasted MannikinAlternate name(s): "Chestnut-breasted Finch", "Chestnut-breasted Munia", "Chestnut Finch", "Bullfinch*", "Barley-bird*"; misnomer: "Barley Sparrow*" Size: 11-12 cm Weight: 12-14 g |
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Similar |
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Photos |
Race "castaneothorax"
Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin feeding on
grass seeds
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, October 2019]
Frontal view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2019]
Frontal view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin in tall grass
(photo courtesy of E.
Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, October 2016]
Near-frontal view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, February 2009]
Near-frontal/ventral view of a preening Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, December 2019]
Near-lateral view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Carrara, Gold Coast, QLD, November 2014]
Near-lateral view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin feasting on the
seeds of tall grass
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, January 2018]
Close-up near-lateral view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Helidon STP, Lockyer Valley, QLD, February 2019]
Lateral view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin feeding on
grass seeds
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, October 2019]
Lateral view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, February 2022]
Close-up lateral view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Helidon STP, Lockyer Valley, QLD, February 2019]
Lateral view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, March 2019]
Dorsal view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, February 2009]
Dorsal view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin feasting on the
seeds of tall grass (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, January 2018]
Two views of the same Chestnut-breasted Mannikin - front and back
(photos courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston, NT, November 2017]
Lateral view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin in slow flight
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Gordonvale, Cairns, QLD, July 2020]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Adult Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (left) with a second bird that is
possibly still moulting into adult
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Griffin)
[Monaltrie, Lismore, NSW, June 2013]
Frontal view of a juvenile Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, March 2019]
Frontal view of a juvenile Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2012]
Adult (front left) and juvenile (back right) Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2012]
Lateral view of a juvenile Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, March 2019]
Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, March 2019]
Close-up lateral/ventral view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2019]
Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coomalie Creek, 90 km south of Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a fledgling Chestnut-breasted Mannikin;
note the yellow gape (photo courtesy of E.
Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, February 2017]
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin "rookery" (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek Road, Darwin, NT, August 2019]
Closer view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin "rookery"
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek Road, Darwin, NT, August 2019]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Sep - Apr | Eggs: 4 - 6 | Incubation period: 12 - 13 days | Fledging age: 21 - 24 days |
Given the right conditions, Chestnut-breasted Mannikins can breed any time of the year. They tend to nest in colonies.
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Dome | Material: Dry grass | Height above ground <2 m |
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin peeking out of its nest
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, March 2019]
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin peeking outside its nest
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, March 2019]
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin nest near the top of tall reeds in a
wetland (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, January 2018]
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin collecting nesting material
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2013]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 17 x 12 mm | Colour: White | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Dispersive | Elementary unit: Small fLock |
All species of finches known to us are highly sociable.
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Seeds | Dependents: Regurgitated seeds | Water intake: Daily |
Like all other finches known to us, Chestnut-breasted Mannikins feed on seeds. These include grass seeds and seeds of reeds.
Frontal view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin feeding on
seeds of tall grass
(photo courtesy of E.
Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, October 2016]
Frontal/ventral view of a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
feeding on the seeds of reeds
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2019]
Near-lateral view of a moulting Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
feeding on the grass seeds
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hillview Court Reserve, Dayboro, QLD, April 2020]
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin feeding on the seeds of reeds
[Urunga, NSW, August 2015]
Frontal view of a juvenile Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
feeding on the seeds of reeds
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2019]
Mob of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins, including juveniles,
feeding on grass seeds
(photo courtesy of A. Lee)
[East Russell, near Cairns, QLD, September 2020]
Part of a flock of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins foraging by the side
of a road
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
chbmann_pb_20180113.m4a |
castaneothorax (Darwin, NT) |
? | © PB | |
chbmann_20150327.m4a |
castaneothorax (NE NSW) |
? | © PB |
More Chestnut-breasted Mannikin sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.