Babies! Got new babies!!!

[Jen]

Not sure how many in the nest but I hear them "cheeping"...three for sure but I don't want to disturb them. Black and White Manikins !!! Wish I could get some pics but mom won't budge so I'm leaving well enough alone! All I can see is some grey fuzz! So cute. Been a long time since I heard that "cheep cheep cheeping" sound!

[Teagarden]

Congratulations! Glad to hear the mom bird is sitting tight keeping her babies safe. Looking forward to photos when mom allows it.

[Sally]

Congrats! Not many have had success with the Black and White Mannikins. I had a pair, but lost one of them (never knew if I had a male/female pair or not), so I gave it to someone who also had a pair. I don't believe they've ever produced. It will be exciting to see the babies.

[Corkysgirl]

That's great news! Congratulations! Looking forward to pictures too.

[CHIRP]

Congratszzzzzzzzzzzzz I am jeleous I hope mine will soon arrive also

[KarenB]

How eggciting! Congrats! I just love the baby bird cheeping sounds, new life. It is really amazing that we get to witness that. Good luck with this clutch. I too would love to see some photos, but I wouldn't risk having the parents abandon for it. We will be patient.

I am not familiar with the black and white. What is the taxanomic species name?

[Jen]

Thanks everyone! I'm pretty excited. When I purchased the birds the breeder made his best guess on picking out a male and female. He held the birds, after he caught them, one in each hand and showed me the difference in the size of their head. The male's head was obviously larger than the female when you held them together to compare. Other than that day, I cannot tell them apart. I'm not even sure if the male takes his turn feeding or setting on the nest. I have seen them both on the nest at night when I turn out the lights, but during the day I see only one bird setting. They made their nest in a tube nest. Since the egg laying, the "male" has gotten very aggressive towards other birds in the flight. After the eggs hatched, they added more nesting material in front of the entrance so no babies can fall out! (and I can't see in) Mom just sits there and keeps watch, looking "over the hill" of nesting material at everyone going by! Too cute...

[MiaCarter]

Jen -- How exciting for you, Jen!
Congrats!

I'm dying for a pair of black and white mannikins myself!
I've been eyeing them on the Paradise Earth website for a while now!
http://www.birdproduct.com/birds/black- ... -mannikin/

I've never seen them for sale, though. Not at a bird show or at any of the breeders I've worked with.
They're so lovely.

[Jen]

Thank you MiaCarter! They are really beautiful birds. Their black feathers are very glossy and the white is so bright white with their silver beak, makes them quite an eye catcher. Very sweet birds!

[Corkysgirl]

They are beautiful birds! Jen I hope everything goes well and you have healthy chicks!

[Sally]

KarenB The taxanomic name of this species is Lonchura bicolor. It is difficult to find accurate information on this species. Bird Product lists it as from Asia, but every other site I've found lists it from Africa. Wikipedia shows a photo of a black and white bird with brown wings. Don't know if that is a juvenile, or a subspecies, but why would a bird be called 'bicolor' if it has three colors on it? They are difficult to sex, but I will say that mine were quite calm for wild-caught, and their plumage is very striking with the contrast between glossy black and shiny white.

[KarenB]

I need some

[Jen]

Sally, there are subspecies of this bird and yes, hard to find definitive information on the black and white mannikins. Most information refers to other species in this genius...not sure what that is all about. Can't wait for mom to move over and let me look!!! Gee, this takes a lot of patience.

[delray]

Congratulations Jen ! That must be so exciting for you! I hope to breed when I get older. Do you plan on keeping them? (I'm to lazy to see if someone asked this already lol)

[KarenB]

Sally, thanks for the info!

I found this about them, too. Apparently there are several subspecies, and these are the brown-backed ones:

L. b. nigriceps
Mantle, back and lesser wing coverts are chestnut
South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, eastern Zimbabwe, eastern Zambia, Malawi, southern and eastern Tanzania, southern Kenya
L. b. minor
Mantle, back and lesser wing coverts are chestnut
Southern Somalia
Sometimes lumped with L. b. nigriceps