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Masked Finch (Poephila personata) Alternate name(s): "Masked Grass Finch", "White-eared Finch", "White-eared Grass Finch" Size: 13.0-13.5 cm (male), 12.5-13.0 cm (female) Body mass: 12-13 g

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Masked Finches are medium-sized finches. They have a small black facial mask from the lores, around the eyes, and including a small throat patch. Race "leucotis" has white ear patches, race "personata" has greyish ear patches. The rest of the front is buff to grey. They have a broad black band across the flanks, with a white band above and white undertail coverts and a white rump below the black band. The back is dusky-cinnamon, with greyish flight feathers. The long tail is black. The eyes have black irises. The strong, wedge-shaped bill is wax-yellow; the legs and feet are pinkish. Juveniles have a black bill that turns yellow with age starting with the base and duller colours than adults.

Taxonomy, classification See Masked Finch at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Masked Finch is available HERE . There are two races of Masked Finches, both of which are endemic to the tropical North of Australia. Nominate race "personata" is found all across the Kimberley, WA, all through the Top End of the NT and along the South coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, to about Lagoon Creek, QLD. On most of Cape York peninsula (with the exception of a narrow strip along the North-West coast and the part South of Cape Melville, QLD) race "leucotis" resides. Masked Finches have a preference for paperbark and other eucalypt woodland. They are always found near water.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "personata" B. Hensen reports spotting Masked Finches, race "personata", on the Marrakai track, about 15 km South of Arnhem Highway junction, NT, in August 2012. B. Hensen also reports finding Masked Finches, race "personata", in Darwin, NT, in July 2014 and again in December 2015. H. Mouritsen reports spotting Masked Finches, race "personata", along the Edith Creek Road near Katherine, NT, and in Kakadu NP, NT, in October 2015. P. Brown reports finding Masked Finches, race "personata", semi-regularly in various locations in and around Darwin, NT. M. Eaton found Masked Finches, race "personata", at Holmes Jungle Nature Park, Darwin, NT, in July 2020. Race "leucotis" J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours reports finding Masked Finches, race "leucotis", at Cumberland Dam, near Georgetown, QLD, in July 2020, and again in September 2020. This location is at the southern end of the race's range.

Photos

Race "personata"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Masked Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, May 2018]

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

Close-up near-frontal view of a Masked Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Near-lateral view of a Masked Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a Masked Finch (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, July 2014]

Lateral view of two Masked Finches (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, December 2015]

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

Close-up near-dorsal view of a Masked Finch looking back at the observer (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Timber Creek airport, Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Masked Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Holmes Jungle Nature Park, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a Masked Finch, left, and Long-tailed Finch, right, foraging in a recently burnt area
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Marrakai track, NT, August 2012]

Comparison of a Masked Finch with a female Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

Comparison of a Masked Finch with a female Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

Ventral view of a Masked Finch in flight (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buchanan Highway, NT, November 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a Masked Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2019]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Masked Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2019]

Race "leucotis"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-lateral view of a Masked Finch; note the white cheeks that give this race its name (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cumberland Dam, near Georgetown, QLD, July 2020]

Lateral view of a Masked Finch (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cumberland Dam, near Georgetown, QLD, July 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a Masked Finch (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cumberland Dam, near Georgetown, QLD, July 2020]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Pair/mob/flock

Like all other species of finches known to us, Masked Finches like to bathe.

Masked Finches taking a bath together with a female Gouldian Finch (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nackeroo Lookout Road, Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]

Masked Finches taking a bath together with a Banded Honeyeater in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nackeroo Lookout Road, Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]

Food, Diet

Adults: Seeds

Dependents: Regurgitated seeds

Water intake: Daily

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

Masked Finch with a liking for grilled nuts (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Marrakai track, Top End, NT, July 2019]

Lateral view of a Masked Finch foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, March 2019]

Masked Finch having a drink of water (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, July 2014]

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.

maskfin_pb_20190709.m4a

personata (Top End, NT)

Chattering (small mob)

© PB

More Masked 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.

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