Streak-headed Mannikin

Mayrimunia tristissima (Wallace, 1865)

Streak-headed Mannikin, Mayrimunia tristissima, is a passerine of New Guinea and nearby islands, breeding in north-west, north and south-east New Guinea, Karkar and Umboi. It is a small estrildid finch with dark brown plumage, light streaking on the head and a yellowish rump. The subspecies leucosticta also shows white spotting on the face, breast and upper wing-coverts. It is found in grassy stream edges, forest openings and old gardens with secondary growth, in lowland areas up to 1,000 m. It builds a globular grass nest with a side entrance, often hung from rattans.

Order

Passeriformes

Family

Estrildidae — Waxbills, Munias & Allies

Breeding range

Australasia: nw, n, se New Guinea, Karkar (n of ne New Guinea) and Umboi (w of New Britain, se Bismarck Arch.)