Munias and Mannikins (Dialogues of Plato; 4) - Hardcover

Covers taxonomy, natural history of the genus, and a wealth of information on each of forty-one species, including physical description, habitat, scarcity, food and feeding habits, movements, calls, songs, courtship behaviors and displays, breeding, distribution, and conservation concerns

Munias and mannikins (the names are interchangeable) comprise a single genus of 41 species of seed-eating passerines inhabiting the tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World. The author has been studying munias and mannikins for many years, both in the field and in his own aviaries. His extensive travels have enabled him to see most of the species in the wild and in addition he has kept many of them in captivity, giving him a unique opportunity to study them at close quarters. The book is illustrated with 16 color plates of perched birds in field guide style depicting every known plumage, plus a unique set of 64 plates of colored 'measured drawings' of individual birds to show plumage variation. There are also numerous line drawings, most of which show behavior never before illustrated or described. The result of this original research is a comprehensive monograph covering every species and subspecies in breathtaking detail.