Red-browed finch

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Red-browed finch
Red-browed Finch - Penrith.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Estrildidae
Genus: Neochmia
Species:
N. temporalis
Binomial name
Neochmia temporalis
(Latham, 1801)
Red-browed Finch range.jpg
Approximate distribution in red

The red-browed finch (Neochmia temporalis) is an estrildid finch that inhabits the east coast of Australia. This species has also been introduced to French Polynesia. It is commonly found in temperate forest and dry savannah habitats. It may also be found in dry forest and mangrove habitats in tropical regions.

Contents

The species is distinguished by the bright red stripe above the eye and bright red rump. The rest of the body is grey, with olive wing coverts and collar. Juveniles do not have red brow marks and lack olive colouration on the collar and wing coverts. The adults are 11–12 cm (4.3–4.7 in) long. [2]

Taxonomy

The red-browed finch was first described by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801 under the binomial name Fringilla temporalis. [3] It is one of four species in the genus Neochmia . Alternate names include red-browed firetail, Sydney waxbill and redbill. [4] [5]

The species was once allied to genus Emblema . [5] There are three noted subspecies: the nominate species N. temporalis temporalis, in most of the east coast, and inland New South Wales and Victoria; N. temporalis minor, which is distinguished by a white breast, in northern New South Wales, and south-east of Australia, and N. temporalis loftyi in the south west corner of South Australia, although the latter is sometimes not listed as a subspecies, as the differences between it and the type species are relatively minor. [2]

Conservation status

The finch is common in the south east of its range, from Brisbane to Melbourne. Subspecies N. t. minor is common between Cooktown and Townsville. [2] The species is listed as being of least concern on the IUCN Red List. [1] [6] There are no key threatening processes for N. temporalis, although the Pest Animal Control CRC suggests that the introduced nutmeg mannikin (Lonchura punctulata), which currently threatens some native mannikins through increased competition, maybe a minor threat to N. lateralis in northern Queensland. [7]

In regional areas, the species needs adequate shrub density to provide cover and foraging places. The species has been noted to decline or even disappear in areas that have been cleared or grazed, especially in combination with drought. [8]

Biology and ecology

The red-browed finch is highly sociable and is usually seen in small flocks of 10 to 20 individuals. Flocks are sedentary or nomadic in their local area. Flocks prefer semi-open woodland, especially edges of forests, where brushy scrub meets cleared areas, especially near creeks.

The finch makes short, piping high-pitched cheeps. When disturbed, the whole flock will disperse, cheeping, and re-congregate nearby.

N. temporalis is a seed eater, living mostly on grass and sedge seed, but will happily feed on many non-native seeds. Wild birds will even enter large-mesh aviaries in suburban areas to eat seed, given the opportunity. [9]

The red-browed finch builds a large domed nest with a side entrance, woven from grass and small twigs. Nests are usually built 2–3 metres (6.6–9.8 ft) above the ground in dense shrubs. Nesting is communal. Both parents share nest building, incubation of the eggs, and feed the young together. [10] Four to six white eggs are laid per clutch two or three times per year, between October and April. Juveniles are fully independent within 28 days. [11]

Red-browed finches are common aviary birds. The red-browed finch will sometimes hybridise with the star finch, crimson finch, and zebra finch if kept together in captivity. [12] The species has been introduced to southwest Australia, where it is sometimes confused with the red-eared firetail Stagonopleura oculata . [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estrildidae</span> Family of birds

Estrildidae, or estrildid finches, is a family of small seed-eating passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They comprise species commonly known as munias, mannikins, firefinches, parrotfinches and waxbills. Despite the word "finch" being included in the common names of some species, they are not closely related to birds with this name in other families, such as the Fringillidae, Emberizidae or Passerellidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed woodswallow</span> Species of bird

The white-browed woodswallow is a medium-sized (~19 cm) passerine bird endemic to Australia. The white-browed woodswallow has very distinctive plumage consisting of white brow over a black head with the upper body being a deep blue-grey and with a chestnut under body. The females are paler then the males. The white-browed woodswallow has a bifurcated (divided) tongue like most woodswallows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Striated pardalote</span> Species of bird

The striated pardalote is the least colourful and most common of the four pardalote species. Other common names include pickwick, wittachew and chip-chip. It is a very small, short-tailed bird that is more often heard than seen, foraging noisily for lerps and other small creatures in the treetops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronze mannikin</span> Species of bird

The bronze mannikin or bronze munia is a small passerine bird of the Afrotropics. This very social estrildid finch is an uncommon to locally abundant bird in much of Africa south of the Sahara Desert, where it is resident, nomadic or irruptive in mesic savanna or forest margin habitats. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 8,100,000 km2. It is the smallest and most widespread of four munia species on the African mainland, the other being black-and-white, red-backed and magpie mannikin. It co-occurs with the Madagascar mannikin on the Comoro Islands, and was introduced to Puerto Rico. Especially in the West Africa, it is considered a pest in grain and rice fields. It is locally trapped for the pet bird trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scaly-breasted munia</span> Species of bird native to South and Southeast Asia

The scaly-breasted munia or spotted munia, known in the pet trade as nutmeg mannikin or spice finch, is a sparrow-sized estrildid finch native to tropical Asia. A species of the genus Lonchura, it was formally described and named by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Its name is based on the distinct scale-like feather markings on the breast and belly. The adult is brown above and has a dark conical bill. The species has 11 subspecies across its range, which differ slightly in size and color.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crimson rosella</span> Species of bird

The crimson rosella is a parrot native to eastern and south eastern Australia which has been introduced to New Zealand and Norfolk Island. It is commonly found in, but not restricted to, mountain forests and gardens. The species as it now stands has subsumed two former separate species, the yellow rosella and the Adelaide rosella. Molecular studies show one of the three red-coloured races, P. e. nigrescens, is genetically more distinct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern bluebonnet</span> Species of bird

The eastern bluebonnet, also known as the greater bluebonnet, is an Australian parrot, one of two species in the genus Northiella. It was originally included in the genus Psephotus but due to distinctive physical and behavioural differences was reclassified into its own genus in 1994 by ornithologists and taxonomists Christidis and Boles. The bluebonnet is a medium-sized inland parrot commonly found in the interior of southeastern and central-southern Australia. It is adapted to life in semi-arid regions but can also flourish in regions of medium rainfall towards the eastern and southern extremities of its range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed scrubwren</span> Species of bird

The white-browed scrubwren is a passerine bird found on the New England Tablelands and coastal areas of Australia. Placed in the family Pardalotidae in the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, this has met with opposition and indeed is now known to be wrong; they rather belong to the independent family Acanthizidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Varied sittella</span> Species of bird

The varied sittella is a small songbird native to Australia. About 10–11 cm long, it is also known as the Australian nuthatch, orange-winged sittella and the barkpecker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Painted finch</span> Australian bird

The painted finch is a common species of estrildid finch found in Australia. The painted finch acquired its name due to the red and white spotted and mottled underparts of both males and females. The binomial comes from emblema meaning 'mosaic or inlaid work'; and pictum derives from the Latin word pictus, meaning 'painted'. Other names include Emblema finch, mountain finch, painted firetail and Emblema. The painted finch is a popular bird to be kept in captivity and in backyard aviaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beautiful firetail</span> Species of bird

The beautiful firetail is a common species of estrildid finch found in Australia. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 1,000,000 km2. The species inhabits temperate shrubland habitats in Australia. The IUCN has classified the species as being of least concern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-eared firetail</span> Species of bird

The red-eared firetail, also known as the boorin, is a small finch-like species of bird. It occurs in dense wetland vegetation of coastal to sub-coastal regions in Southwest Australia. Its appearance is considered appealing, with white spots, black barring and vivid crimson marks at the ear and upper tail. Red-eared firetails are usually only glimpsed briefly, if at all, as they move rapidly and discreetly through their habitat. Most observations occur when their soft voice is heard, or in flight when flushed from the dense scrub. Males and females are similar in colouring and bond as lifelong pairs that occupy a territory centred on their roosting and brooding nest site. The species occupies a similar ecological niche to the beautiful firetail found in the east of Australia, although unlike other species of the genus they only occasionally group together and are almost never seen in large flocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamond firetail</span> Species of estrildid finch

The diamond firetail is a species of estrildid finch that is endemic to Australia. It has a patchy distribution and generally occupies drier forests and grassy woodlands west of the Great Dividing Range from South East Queensland to the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. While it is a small stocky bird it is one of the largest finches in Australia. The birds are very distinctive with a black breast-band on a white breast. The flanks are black with white spots and it has a scarlet rump and a black tail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crimson finch</span> Species of bird

The crimson finch is a species of bird in the family Estrildidae. It is found throughout Northern Australia as well as parts of southern New Guinea. Crimson finches feature a distinctively bright crimson coat and are known for their aggression.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star finch</span> Species of bird

The star finch is a seed-eating bird species found in northern Australia. It has a distinctive red face and bill, and broad white spots down its flanks. One of its three subspecies may be extinct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long-tailed finch</span> Species of bird

The long-tailed finch is a common species of estrildid finch found in northern Australia, from the Kimberley region to the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is a predominantly fawn-coloured bird with a pale grey head and prominent black bib and eyes. It inhabits dry savannah habitats in Australia and adapts readily to aviculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chestnut-breasted mannikin</span> Species of bird

The chestnut-breasted mannikin, also known as the chestnut-breasted munia or bully bird, is a small brown-backed munia with a black face and greyish crown and nape. It has a broad ferruginous breast bar above a white belly. The species is found in Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. This species has also been introduced to French Polynesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pictorella mannikin</span> Species of bird

The pictorella mannikin, pictorella munia, or pictorella finch is small brown and grey finch with a grey bill and distinctive scaly white breast plate which is endemic to northern Australia. It is a seed-eater found in pairs and small flocks in dry savannah and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.

Firetail is a common name for several bird species:

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2018). "Neochmia temporalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22719666A132130886. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22719666A132130886.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Morcombe, Michael K. (2003). Field guide to Australian birds (Compact ed.). Archerfield, Qld: Steve Parish Publishing. ISBN   9781740214179.
  3. Latham, Joannis (1801). Supplementum indicis ornithologici sive systematis ornithologiæ (in Latin). London: Leigh & Sotheby. p. xlviii.
  4. Birds Australia (19 February 2007). "Bird Finder: Red-browed Finch". Birds in Backyards. Sydney: Australian Museum. Archived from the original on 16 March 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 Morcombe, Michael (1986). The Great Australian Birdfinder. Sydney: Lansdowne Press. p. 394. ISBN   978-0-7018-1962-0.
  6. Butchart, Stuart; Jonathan Ekstrom; Matt Harding (2009). "Species factsheet: Neochmia temporalis". BirdLife. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  7. Norris, Andrew; Tim Low; Iain Gordon; Glen Saunders; Steven Lapidge; Keryn Lapidge; Tony Peacock; Roger Pech (June 2005). Review of the management of feral animals and their impact on biodiversity in the Rangelands (PDF). Pest Animal Control CRC.[ dead link ]
  8. Ford, Hugh A.; Barrett, Geoffrey W.; Saunders, Denis A.; Recher, Harry F. (January 2001). "Why have birds in the woodlands of Southern Australia declined?". Biological Conservation . 97 (1): 71–88. Bibcode:2001BCons..97...71F. doi:10.1016/S0006-3207(00)00101-4. ISSN   0006-3207.
  9. Todd, M. K. (1996). "Diet and foraging behaviour of Red-browed Finches Neochmia temporalis near Newcastle, New South Wales". Emu. 96 (4): 245–249. Bibcode:1996EmuAO..96..245T. doi:10.1071/MU9960245. ISSN   0158-4197.
  10. Birds in Backyards (2007-02-19). "Red-browed Finch (Neochmia temporalis) Fact sheet". BirdsinBackyards.net. Archived from the original on 2010-03-16. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
  11. BirdCare (2008-01-29). "Red browed Finch". BirdCare.com.au. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  12. Neochmia ruficauda clarescens — Star Finch (Cape York Peninsula). Species Profile and Threats Database (Technical report). Canberra: Department of the Climate Change, Energy the Environment and Water. 2020. Retrieved 2024-03-26.