Biosecurity Spotters logo

Nutmeg mannikin (Lonchura punctulata)

In Australia, Nutmeg Mannikins may compete with native birds for food and other resources, although the reported impact is considered minimal and confidence in the assessment is low. Their broad diet, use of urban and rural habitats, and year-round breeding can help them persist in a range of settings.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, bird.

Native to: South and Southeast Asia.

Established in: QLD, NSW.

Other names: Scaly-breasted Munia, Spice Finch, Spotted Munia.

Best time to act: Look for Nutmeg Mannikins year-round, as they can breed throughout the year.

Identification

  • A small, compact finch with a short, stout, conical bill.
  • The head and upperparts are dark brown, with lighter brown wings.
  • The breast and belly have distinctive pale, scale-like markings on a dark brown background.
  • The sexes look alike, and birds are often seen in flocks.
  • Look-alike: Other small finches, including Chestnut-breasted Mannikins, may look similar at a distance; the Nutmeg Mannikin’s scaled breast and belly are useful identification features.

Where it lives

In Australia it uses both urban and rural habitats, including places where seed or other food is readily available.

Why it matters

  • It is believed to compete with native bird species in Australia, but the described impact ranges from competition to negligible competition.
  • A broad, opportunistic diet and use of a wide range of habitats may bring it into contact with native birds.
  • It breeds year-round and can have multiple broods and larger clutches, traits that may support persistence.
  • The EICAT assessment classified its impact as Minimal Concern, with low confidence.

How it spreads

  • Free-living populations can arise from birds escaping or being released from captivity.
  • Flocks can persist where suitable food and habitat are available, including in urban and rural areas.

Control methods

  • Reduce food sources by securing grain, seed and animal feed, and promptly cleaning up spills.
  • Where birds enter buildings or storage areas, use suitable exclusion measures such as maintaining screens and closing access points.
  • If further control is needed, seek advice from the relevant state or territory authority and use only humane methods that are permitted; do not trap, handle or destroy nests unless authorized.
  • Check treated sites regularly and continue monitoring so that any return or ongoing activity can be addressed.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Store seed, grain and fodder in bird-proof containers and clean up spilled feed around work areas.
  • Before moving between sites, check vehicles and equipment for spilled seed or nesting material and clean them where needed.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: General biosecurity duty. Not prohibited matter in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Declared animal. Declared animals have legal restrictions, which can cover keeping, moving, selling and releasing them, and landowners may be required to control them.
  • Western Australia: Declared pest (C1), prohibited. C1 Exclusion: to be kept out of WA, or out of the parts of WA where it is not established. Report any sighting to DPIRD. It must not be brought into WA (prohibited organism).
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Prohibited entrant. Wildlife that is not native to the NT is a prohibited entrant, so you need an NT permit to bring it in or keep it. Report any wild sighting to the NT Government.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources