Nests are also commonly established within hollow tree limbs.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyWaxbills and Allies
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatThey typically reside near wetlands (riparian vegetation) that have an abundance of Pandanus trees.
Best timeMost reliable in Northern Territory from July to August.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Peter Boesman
Range map
Range map
104approx hotspots
42736approx records
3states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Birds in New Guinea and Cape York with white belly, those elsewhere in Australia with black. Female duller, with only red face. Juvenile mostly brownish with dark bill but note long tail. Star Finch has shorter tail, greener plumage.
Behavior
Feeds on grass seeds in pairs or flocks, moving through tall vegetation near wetlands and building nests low in dense cover.
Gallery
Regional timing
Western Australia
Northern Territory
Queensland
Commonly confused with
Masked FinchPoephila personataJuveniles similar but duller, with dark bill. Long tail but lacks the long streamers of similar Long-tailed Finch, with which Masked is sometimes found.→Pictorella MuniaHeteromunia pectoralisJuveniles very plain brown, with faint outline of adult's mask. Gives a distinctive “teet” in flight or sparrow-like chip note.→Scaly-breasted MuniaLonchura punctulataTypical adults dark chestnut-brown above, white below, with fine dark scaly pattern on belly; some populations duller brown. Juveniles plain brown all over with slightly paler underparts. Typically found in small flocks, sometimes mixed with other species of munia.→