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24

Crimson Finch

(Neochmia phaeton)
Alternate name(s): "Blood Finch";
NB: Includes former "Pale Crimson Finch" ("White-bellied Crimson Finch")

Size: 13-14 cm
Weight: 9-10 g
Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Crimson Finch at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "phaeton" (includes former race "iredalei")

ADULT

MALE

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Crimson Finch; note the black belly patch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, July 2020]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Crimson Finch looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, July 2020]

Near-frontal view of a male Crimson Finch looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, August 2023]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Crimson Finch looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, October 2019]

Near-frontal view of a male Crimson Finch during take-off - note how dark this individual is coloured
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, January 2018]

Near-lateral view of a male Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, August 2023]

Lateral view of a male Crimson Finch looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, October 2019]

Lateral view of a male Crimson Finch looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, October 2019]

Lateral view of a male Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, August 2023]

Lateral view of a male Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, October 2019]

Lateral view of a male Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2013]

Lateral view of a male Crimson Finch flapping its wings (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swmap, Darwin, NT, March 2019]

Lateral view of a male Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, September 2020]

Lateral view of a male Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, November 2012]

Two male Crimson Finches by the side of a waterhole (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, November 2012]

Near-dorsal view of a male Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, April 2018]

Close-up dorsal view of a male Crimson Finch looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, July 2020]

Distant view of a male Crimson Finch in flight (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Near Dripstone Cliffs, Darwin, NT, December 2017]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, November 2020]

Frontal view of a female Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cattana Wetlands, Smithfield, QLD, December 2018]

Near-frontal view of a female Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2017]

Near-frontal view of a female Crimson Finch, different posture (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2017]

Near-frontal view of a moulting female Crimson Finch
[Holmes Jungle NR, Darwin, NT, August 2014]

Near-lateral view of a female Crimson Finch; note the damage to the bird's toes (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, August 2023]

Near-lateral view of a female Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cattana Wetlands, Smithfield, QLD, December 2018]

Lateral view of a female Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, April 2018]

Lateral view of a female Crimson Finch, left, with a male on the right (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, November 2012]

Near-dorsal view of a female Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2017]

Close-up dorsal view of a female Crimson Finch looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, July 2020]

Dorsal view of a female Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cattana Wetlands, Smithfield, QLD, December 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of an immature Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of an immature Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Two immature Crimson Finches
[Fogg Dam NR, NT, August 2014]

Frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swmap, Darwin, NT, March 2019]

Three different types of Crimson Finch plumage: Male, bottom left, juvenile centre, and female, far right
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Roseberry, Darwin, NT, May 2018]

Female Crimson Finch, back, with two jvenile birds (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Roseberry, Darwin, NT, May 2018]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, April 2018]

Partly obscured near-frontal view of a juvenile Crimson Finch
[Fogg Dam NR, NT, August 2014]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Crimson Finch
[Fogg Dam NR, NT, August 2014]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Crimson Finch; note the pale gape (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coomalie Creek, 90 km south of Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Partly obscured near-lateral view of a juvenile Crimson Finch
[Fogg Dam NR, NT, August 2014]

Lateral view of a juvenile Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coomalie Creek, 90 km south of Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Crimson Finch
[Fogg Dam NR, NT, August 2014]

Lateral view of a juvenile Crimson Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, April 2018]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Crimson Finch
[Fogg Dam NR, NT, August 2014]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Sep - May Eggs: 5 - 7 Incubation period: 11 - 15 days Fledging age: 20 - 21 days

The breeding period listed in the table applies to northern QLD. In the Top End of the NT and along the northern coastal fringe of WA the breeding season is restricted to Jan-Apr.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Dome Material: Grass, bark, leaves, feather lining Height above ground 2 - ? m

Nest building: Male & female? Incubation: Female & male Dependent care: Female & male

View into a Crimson Finch nest with chicks inside (photo courtesy of A. Lee)
[East Russell, near Cairns, QLD, March 2018]

Crimson Finch at the entrance of its nest (photo courtesy of A. Lee)
[East Russell, near Cairns, QLD, March 2018]

Crimson Finch nest in Pandanus (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, April 2020]

Male Crimson Finch nest owner (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, April 2020]

Female Crimson Finch nest owner (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, April 2020]

Moulting male Crimson Finch collecting nest material (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Moulting male Crimson Finch collecting nest material (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 14 x 12 mm Colour: White Shape: Tapered oval

Food, Diet

Adults: Seeds Dependents: Regurgitated seeds Water intake: Daily

Like all other finches known to us, Crimson Finches feed on seeds.

Lateral view of a female Crimson Finch feeding on grass seeds
[Fogg Dam NR, NT, August 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Crimson Finch feeding on seeds (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, April 2018]

Two male Crimson Finches by the side of a waterhole (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, November 2012]

Lateral view of a female Crimson Finch prying loose seeds (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cattana Wetlands, Smithfield, QLD, December 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a female Crimson Finch feasting on seeds (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cattana Wetlands, Smithfield, QLD, December 2018]

Female Crimson Finch having a drink from a man-made waterhole (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, July 2019]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

crimfin_20140817.m4a phaeton
(Top End, NT)
Contact calls © MD
crimfin_20140817_2.m4a phaeton
(Top End, NT)
Warning calls © MD
crimfin_pb_20180619_2.m4a phaeton
(Top End, NT)
Warning calls (mob) © PB
crimfin_pb_20180619_5.m4a phaeton
(Top End, NT)
Alarm calls (human) © PB

More Crimson Finch sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.