Red-browed finch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red-browed finch |
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The red-browed finch (Neochmia temporalis) is a small, colorful bird found along the east coast of Australia. You might also find them in French Polynesia, where they were introduced. These finches usually live in forests and grassy areas. They can also be seen in tropical dry forests and mangrove swamps.
This bird is easy to spot because of the bright red stripe above its eye, like a little red eyebrow! It also has a bright red patch on its back, near its tail. The rest of its body is mostly gray, with olive-green feathers on its wings and around its neck. Young finches don't have the red eyebrow or the olive colors. Adult red-browed finches are about 11–12 cm long.
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What's in a Name?
The red-browed finch was first described in 1801 by an English bird expert named John Latham. He gave it the scientific name Fringilla temporalis.
Today, this finch is part of a group of four species in the Neochmia family. People sometimes call it by other names like red-browed firetail or redbill. There are three main types, or subspecies, of the red-browed finch:
- N. temporalis temporalis: This is the most common type, found along most of the east coast of Australia.
- N. temporalis minor: This type has a white chest and lives in northern Queensland.
- N. temporalis loftyi: This type is found in the southwest corner of South Australia.
Is the Red-browed Finch Safe?
Good news! The red-browed finch is quite common in many parts of its home range, especially from Brisbane to Melbourne. The northern type, N. t. minor, is also common between Cooktown and Townsville.
Because there are so many of them, the red-browed finch is listed as a species of "Least Concern" by the IUCN Red List. This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing. There aren't many big threats to these birds. However, another bird called the introduced nutmeg mannikin might cause a small problem. It competes with some native birds for food and space.
These finches need plenty of bushes and shrubs to hide in and find food. They might disappear from areas where trees and bushes have been removed, especially during dry times. So, keeping their natural homes safe is important!
Life and Habits of the Red-browed Finch
Red-browed finches are very friendly birds! They usually hang out in small groups of 10 to 20 birds. These groups tend to stay in their local area, not moving too far. They love living in woodlands that are partly open, especially where forests meet open fields, and near creeks.
You can often hear them making short, high-pitched "cheep" sounds. If something scares them, the whole group will fly away, still cheeping, and then gather together again nearby.
What Do Red-browed Finches Eat?
These finches are mostly seed-eaters. They love to munch on seeds from grasses and sedges. But they are not picky! They will also eat many seeds from plants that are not native to Australia. Sometimes, wild red-browed finches will even fly into large bird cages in people's backyards to eat birdseed if they get the chance!
Nesting and Young Birds
The red-browed finch builds a big, round nest that looks like a dome. It has a small entrance on the side. They weave their nests using grass and small twigs. Nests are usually built about 2–3 meters off the ground, hidden in thick bushes.
These birds often nest together in groups. Both the mother and father finch work together to build the nest, sit on the eggs to keep them warm, and feed their babies. A mother finch usually lays four to six white eggs at a time. They can have two or three groups of babies each year, usually between October and April. The young birds are ready to live on their own within 28 days.
Red-browed finches are popular birds to keep in aviaries (large bird cages). If kept with other types of finches, like the star finch or zebra finch, they might sometimes have babies that are a mix of the two species.
Sometimes, red-browed finches are confused with another bird called the red-eared firetail, especially in southwest Australia.
See also
In Spanish: Diamante cejirrojo para niños
Images for kids
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A red-browed finch resting in North Queensland.
