Black-and-white Mannikin
Lonchura bicolor
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyEstrildidae (Waxbills and Allies)
- GenusLonchura (Typical Munias and Mannikins)
- SpeciesLonchura bicolor (Black-and-white Mannikin)
The black-and-white mannikin (Spermestes bicolor) also black-and-white munia or red-backed mannikin, is a species of estrildid finch, widely present throughout sub-Saharan Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 4,200,000 km2 (1,600,000 sq mi). It is found in moist savanna and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest habitat. The status of the species is evaluated as least concern. They are seedeaters, but are known to feed on algae. The black-and-white mannikin was formally described in 1843 by the British zoologist and collector Louis Fraser from a specimen collected near Cape Palmas in Liberia. Wikipedia →
<5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-and-white Mannikin sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 28 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve
Bronze Mannikin
Lonchura cucullata
Purple Grenadier
Uraeginthus ianthinogaster
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
Uraeginthus bengalus
Black-faced Quailfinch
Ortygospiza atricollis
Red-billed Firefinch
Lagonosticta senegala
Black-faced Waxbill
Estrilda erythronotos
Green-winged Pytilia
Pytilia melba
Crimson-rumped Waxbill
Estrilda rhodopyga
Black-rumped Waxbill
Estrilda troglodytes
Blue-capped Cordonbleu
Uraeginthus cyanocephalus
Fawn-breasted Waxbill
Estrilda paludicola
African Firefinch
Lagonosticta rubricata
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black-and-white Mannikin in Masai Mara National Reserve?
About 1% of wildlife watchers report a Black-and-white Mannikin sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 28 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black-and-white Mannikin in Masai Mara National Reserve?
December has the highest sighting rate for Black-and-white Mannikin in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.