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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Estrildidae
  4. ›
  5. Poephila
  6. ›
  7. Masked Finch
Masked Finch
Photo · Gould, 1842

BirdUp · Species

Masked Finch

Poephila personataGould, 1842

Updated 21 March 2026

Origin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Estrildidae
Genus
Poephila

At a glance

The Masked Finch is a tiny bird, about 11–14 cm long, endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
11–14 cm
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Masked Finch look like?

The Masked Finch is a tiny bird, about 11–14 cm long and weighing 9–16 g.

The masked finch is a small passerine bird in the estrildid finch family, Estrildidae. It is a common resident of dry savannah across northern Australia, from the Kimberley, across the Top End, the Gulf country and the southern part of Cape York Peninsula, as far east as Chillagoe, but always near water.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
11–14 cm
Weight
9.2–16 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Masked Finch?

The Masked 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 Masked Finch eat?

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

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

5 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Masked Finch live in Australia?

The Masked Finch is endemic to Australia, recorded across 22 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning north Australia.

BreedingNorth Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Vagrant
  • Resident

7 regions recorded