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Long-tailed FinchAlternate name(s): "Long-tailed Grass-finch", "Black-heart Finch", "Heck's Finch", "Orange-billed Grass Finch", "Shaft-tail Finch" Size: 15-16 cm Weight: 12-16 g |
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Photos |
Race "acuticauda"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Near-frontal view of a Long-tailed Finch
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Near-frontal view of a Long-tailed Finch on the ground
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Near-frontal view of two Long-tailed Finches
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a Long-tailed Finch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a Long-tailed Finch
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Lateral view of a Long-tailed Finch on the ground
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Preening Long-tailed Finch
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Near-lateral view of a Long-tailed Finch at take-off
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Race "hecki"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Partly obscured near-frontal view of a Long-tailed Finch; note the
orange bill which is characteristic of race "hecki"
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2014]
Near-lateral view of a Long-tailed Finch (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2013]
Lateral view of a Long-tailed Finch looking at the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle
Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a Long-tailed Finch looking at the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle
Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a Long-tailed Finch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle
Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a Long-tailed Finch
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2014]
Dorsal view of a Long-tailed Finch
[Holmes Jungle Nature
Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2014]
Ventral view of a Long-tailed Finch (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Mataranka to Cape Crawford Road, NT, July 2010]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of a Long-tailed Finch; the smudged
appearance and the not quite all-red bill may indicate
that this bird is just reaching maturity
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle
Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]
Near-lateral view of a Long-tailed Finch; the smudged
appearance and the not quite all-red bill may indicate
that this bird is just reaching maturity
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle
Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of an immature Long-tailed Finch; note the
bill that is just starting to turn red
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2020]
Frontal view of a juvenile Long-tailed Finch; note the
dark-grey bill
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Marrakai track, Top End, NT, July 2019]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Jan - Jun | Eggs: 4 - 7 | Incubation period: ca. 13 days | Fledging age: 22 days |
We have observed at least two pairs of Long-tailed Finches building a nest in August 2014, outside their usual breeding season.
Nest building: Female | Incubation: ? | Dependent care: Female & male |
While the female builds the nest, the male collects the nesting material.
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Dome | Material: Grass with feather lining | Height above ground ? |
Location of a Long-tailed Finch nest in between the two panels
of a road sign
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Parry Creek Road turnoff, Wyndham, WA, January 2016]
Here the same Long-tailed Finch nest seen from below
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Parry Creek Road turnoff, Wyndham, WA, January 2016]
Long-tailed Finch sentry guarding its nest in between the two panels
of a road sign
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Parry Creek Road turnoff, Wyndham, WA, January 2016]
Long-tailed Finch nest (under construction) in a pandanus plant
[Holmes Jungle Nature
Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2014]
Frontal view of a male Long-tailed Finch collecting nesting material
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2014]
Male Long-tailed Finch bringing nesting material
[Holmes Jungle Nature
Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2014]
Female Long-tailed Finch pulling the nesting material into place
from inside the nest
[Holmes Jungle Nature
Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2014]
Male Long-tailed Finch looking from outside how the nest is shaping up
[Holmes Jungle Nature
Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2014]
This is how and where one enters this pair of Long-tailed Finches' nest
[Holmes Jungle Nature
Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2014]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 16 x 12 mm | Colour: White | Shape: Tapered oval |
A look into the Long-tailed Finch nest shown above reveals
the presence of 2 eggs, suggesting that the female was still
in the process of laying eggs (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Parry Creek Road turnoff, Wyndham, WA, January 2016]
Close-up view of 2 Long-tailed Finch eggs (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Parry Creek Road turnoff, Wyndham, WA, January 2016]
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Behaviour |
Like all species of finches known to us, Long-tailed Finches love taking a bath.
Long-tailed Finch taking a bath (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, July 2016]
Two Long-tailed Finches enjoying some time off their incubating
duties at the local spa (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Parry Creek Road turnoff, Wyndham, WA, January 2016]
Soaking wet Long-tailed Finch in the bathtub
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Camooweal Caves, QLD, September 2019]
Pair of Long-tailed Finch enjoying some time off their incubating
duties at the local spa (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Kununurra, WA, January 2016]
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Seeds | Dependents: Regurgitated seeds | Water intake: Daily |
Like all other finches known to us, Long-tailed Finches feed on seeds.
Long-tailed Finch feeding on grass seeds
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Masked Finch, left,
and Long-tailed Finch, right, foraging in a recently burnt area (photo
courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, August 2012]
Frontal view from above onto a Long-tailed Finch, left, drinking water
together with a
Star Finch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]
Frontal view from above onto a Long-tailed Finch, left, drinking water
together with a juvenile
Yellow-rumped Mannikin
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a Long-tailed Finch having a drink
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]
3 species of finches drinking together: Juvenile
Yellow-rumped Mannikins,
Star Finches and a
Long-tailed Finch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]
3 species of finches drinking together: Juvenile
Yellow-rumped Mannikins,
Star Finches and a
Long-tailed Finch
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]
Long-tailed Finch approaching a puddle in a roadside ditch for
a drink and a bath (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Road to Giwining/Flora River NP, NT, November 2018]
Long-tailed Finch drinking water from a bucket (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Mataranka to Cape Crawford Road, NT, July 2010]