Description
Males: mostly bright red; blackish on crown; wings and back a mix of red and brown; red front. Females: red on face and tail; back and front brown. Both sexes have fine white spots on flanks. Birds from NT, WA and north Qld (subspecies phaeton) are black on the belly in males, buff in females; birds from Cape York and New Guinea (subspecies evangelinae) have white bellies in both sexes. Juveniles of all subspecies are dark brown, with a red tail.
Usually in small flocks, occasionally pairs. Resident. Eats mostly grass seeds, and also takes invertebrates, nectar, leaves and flower buds. At night roosts in Pandanus or other vegetation. May live to at least 5 years. Reproduces during the wet season. Pairs bond for many years. The male builds a spherical nest about 15 cm in external diameter, It has a round entrance hole and is made from Pandanus shreds, grass or other plant parts, and is lined with softer materials. Nests are situated amongst the leaves of a Pandanus or other plant, often above water. Females lay 1-8 (usually 5) white eggs. Both sexes incubate the eggs and feed the young. Incubation lasts around 2 weeks. Young leave the nest when about 3 weeks old, and are fed by the adults for another 3 weeks. Young birds are mature enough to breed within their first year.
Author credit: Lindley McKay
Habitat
Dense vegetation (often dominated by Pandanus) at the margin of waterways, and nearby woodland and grasslands.
Food
Omnivore
Range
Northern Australia.
Credits:
Map is from Atlas of Living Australia website at https://biocache.ala.org.au licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Species Description is from Museums Field Guide, Atlas of Living Australia at website at https://lists.ala.org.au Licensed under Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Classification
| Class: | Aves | | Order: | Passeriformes | | Family: | Estrildidae | | Genus: | Neochmia | | Species: | phaeton | | Common Name: | Crimson Finch |
Relatives in same Genus
Plum-headed Finch (N. modesta)
Star Finch (N. ruficauda)
Red-browed Finch (N. temporalis)
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