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Diamond FiretailAlternate name(s): "Firetail Finch", "Diamond Finch", "Spotted-sided Finch", "Beautiful Firetail Finch"*; misnomer: "Diamond Sparrow" Size: 12-13 cm; wing span 26 cm Weight: 17 g (average) |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a Diamond Firetail on a power line
[Near Narrabri, NSW, August 2022]
Near-frontal view of a Diamond Firetail - while landing on the
barbed wire, it has its tail fanned for lift
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]
Near-lateral view of a Diamond Firetail
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]
Near-lateral view of a Diamond Firetail on the ground
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Near Dubbo, NSW, July 2011]
Close-up lateral view of a Diamond Firetail
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2021]
Lateral view of a Diamond Firetail
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, April 2014]
Lateral view of a Diamond Firetail (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Tenterfield, NSW, February 2013]
Close-up lateral/ventral view of a Diamond Firetail
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a Diamond Firetail
[Near Coonabarabran, NSW, September 2006]
Near-dorsal view of a Diamond Firetail
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]
Dorsal view of a Diamond Firetail
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, May 2020]
Comparison of a Diamond Firetail with a
Diamond Dove
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, May 2020]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Adult, left, with probably sub-adult Diamond Firetail, front right;
note the grey breast ring, rather than the adult's black one
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Bindi, East Gippsland, VIC, February 2017]
Near-frontal view of an immature Diamond Firetail;
note the still grey frontal markings, while the bill
has already turned red
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, August 2019]
Lateral view of an immature Diamond Firetail
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, August 2019]
Lateral view of an immature Diamond Firetail
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, August 2019]
Frontal view of a juvenile Diamond Firetail starting to stretch
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, February 2019]
Frontal view of a juvenile Diamond Firetail in full stretch
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, February 2019]
Lateral view of a juvenile Diamond Firetail
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, February 2019]
Distant lateral view of a juvenile Diamond Firetail
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, January 2009]
Dorsal view of a juvenile Diamond Firetail
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Watts Creek Road near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, February 2019]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Oct - Jan | Eggs: 4 - 6 | Incubation period: 14 - 15 days | Fledging age: 23 days |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Dome | Material: Grass with feather lining | Height above ground: <10 m |
Compared with other species of finches, Diamond Firetails can nest very high (which makes the collection of nesting material an arduous task).
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Additional information |
A. Morris reports that Diamond Firetails like to take advantage of the protection offered by nesting under a Wedge-tailed Eagle or Whistling Kite nest. There is now a separate page about various bird species nesting under the umbrella of a stronger, protective species.
Diamond Firetails nesting low in a casuarina tree; four adults
were observed around this nest (photo courtesy of
R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2015]
Closer look at one Diamond Firetail outside its nest (photo courtesy
of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2015]
One curious Diamond Firetail chick checking the world outside
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2015]
Mistletoe with a
Diamond Firetail's nest at its base, about 15 m above ground, high up
in a eucalypt tree
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, January 2008]
Note that it is unusual for a small bird, such as a finch, to have its nest that high. Usually small birds tend to nest in dense, inaccessible areas closer to the ground - even the 10 m listed in the table above are very high for a bird the size of a finch.
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 18 x 13 mm | Colour: White | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Dispersive/sedentary | Elementary unit: Small fLock |
All species of finches known to us are highly sociable.
Male Diamond Firetail bringing green grass to its partner as part of
his courtship display
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, January 2008]
"Stand-off" between a Diamond Firetail and a Willie Wagtail (photo courtesy of
R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Seeds | Dependents: Regurgitated seeds | Water intake: Daily |
Like all other finches known to us, Diamond Firetails feed on seeds.
Diamond Firetail feeding on seeds
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2019]
Diamond Firetail having a drink of water
[Near Deriah Aboriginal Area, 30 km East of Narrabri, NSW,
December 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a Diamond Firetail approaching a waterhole
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, May 2020]
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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.
diafire_20210515.m4a | (NW NSW) | Contact call | © MD | |
diafire_20200529.m4a | (NW NSW) | Contact calls (+ Bar-shouldered Dove) | © MD |
More Diamond Firetail sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.