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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Estrildidae
  4. ›
  5. Poephila
  6. ›
  7. Long-tailed Finch

BirdUp · Species

Long-tailed Finch

Poephila acuticauda(Gould, 1840)

Origin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Estrildidae
Genus
Poephila

At a glance

The Long-tailed Finch is a small bird, about 14–18 cm long, endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
14–18 cm
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Long-tailed Finch look like?

The Long-tailed Finch is a small bird, about 14–18 cm long and weighing 12–18 g.

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.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
14–18 cm
Weight
12–17.6 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Long-tailed Finch?

The Long-tailed Finch is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Long-tailed Finch eat?

The Long-tailed Finch feeds on seeds and terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or flocks.

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Long-tailed Finch live in Australia?

The Long-tailed Finch is endemic to Australia, recorded across 23 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning north-west to north-central Australia.

BreedingNorth-west to north-central Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Passage
  • Breeding
  • Vagrant
  • Resident

6 regions recorded