Taxonomy/Origins: The Grey-Crowned Mannikin is an endemic species found in the south of New Guinea.
Plumage Colouration/Sexing: It is about 4.5-5 inches long.
Its head, face, nape and lores are a Creamy White. There is a Black band around the chin and throat area. The wings and back are Brown. The rump and upper tail coverts are an Orange-Yellow. The belly is an Orange-Brown with the thighs, vent and under tail coverts Black. The bill is Silver - Grey
The sexes are similar; hens tend to have a duller head than the cocks. In my collection some hens are as bright as the cocks. The depth of the black band around the throat can also give clues to the sex of the bird, but again it can be misleading. The only 100% method is cocks sing, hens lay eggs!!
Feeding: In the wild they feed on various seeds and possibly insects on the ground and in and on the tall grasses, reed and marshes that they live in. They are often seen in loose flocks and have been seen with Black Munias.
The birds are fed the same as the rest of my collection, Foreign Finch mix, Orlux wild seed, 50/50 mix White & Red Panicum millet and
Orlux moist canary eggfood. I give the birds spinach twice a week. A mixture of grit, charcoal, crushed eggshells and grated cuttlefish is always available as is a piece of cuttlefish. Water comes straight from the tap.
Housing: In my collection the birds are housed in cages 2ft wide X 18in high X 15in deep.
A 5in cubed nest box is hung on the out side of the cage. It is stuffed with hay & coconut fibre.
Breeding: The cocks display, like most mannikins, by fluffing out the feathers on its belly & nape, while bouncing up & down on the perch. Sometimes with a piece of nesting material in its beak. The song consists of three parts; the first part is often out of our hearing range so all you see is the movement in the throat & birds beak. The second part is louder, each bird has a different phrase it sings and then finishes off, with the third part a long drawn out wheeze, starting loudly and gradually tailing off. The nest was built out of coconut fibre; it was a ball with a round entrance hole & lined with a few feathers. Six oval white eggs were laid and incubated for about 14 to 15 days. Fledging takes place at around 23 days and independence is acheived several weeks later by which time the parents may already be brooding their next clutch.
Feel free to get in touch with any further questions. You can contact me via the FF Forum my username is 'pgh'.
