Mandingoa nitidula
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The green-backed twinspot or green twinspot (Mandingoa nitidula) is an estrildid finch found in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. The IUCN has classified the species as being of least concern. The green-backed twinspot has four sub-species:
Mandingoa nitidula chubbi Mandingoa nitidula nitidula Mandingoa nitidula schlegeli Mandingoa nitidula virginiae The green-backed twinspot inhabits lowland moist forests of the tropical region. It may also be found in grassland and shrubland habitats.
Males are distinguished from females by their bright red facial feathers. Females have an olive-green face and darker (almost black) beak. The green backed twinspot prefers its privacy in regards to breeding. Males in the breeding season will raise their heads, looking straight up while "dancing" on the perch next to the female, moving in a side-stepping fashion. The female, if receptive, will crouch down and point her tail to the male. Green backed twinspots tend to pair with one female and care for her and the young while breeding. Up to four eggs are laid about five days after mating, usually one daily. The female will go in and out of the nest frequently... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | uMkhuze Game Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 4 | Arusha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 5 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 6 | Semuliki National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 7 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 8 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Green-backed Twinspot sighting in uMkhuze Game Reserve on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 212th most-seen of the 283 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Green-backed Twinspot in uMkhuze Game Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in March–June and October–January, the lowest months. That is one of uMkhuze Game Reserve's driest months, with about 15 mm of rain against 120 mm in February.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Green-backed Twinspot sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 8
Of the 8 parks where we can rate Green-backed Twinspot sightings, uMkhuze Game Reserve ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in iSimangaliso Wetland Park (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Estrildidae
The closest relatives of the Green-backed Twinspot that you can see in uMkhuze Game Reserve (family Estrildidae, Waxbills and Allies) are Blue-breasted Cordonbleu (about 60%), Pink-throated Twinspot (about 30%) and Green-winged Pytilia (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Green-backed Twinspot is recorded against all the birds logged in uMkhuze Game Reserve (20 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
