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Plum-headed Finch (Neochmia modesta) Alternate name(s): "Plum-capped Finch", "Plumhead", "Modest Finch", "Cherry Finch", "Plain-coloured Finch", "Diadem Finch" Size: 11-12 cm Body mass: 12-13 g

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Plum-headed Finches are small to medium-sized finches. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Both sexes have a plum-coloured ("claret") forehead and dark lores. Apart from a small near-white facial mask around the dark lores, the sides of the head and the rest of the front are creamy, with extensive olive-brown barring from both sides. The belly, vent and undertail coverts are creamy to buff. The back is mostly olive-brown, with white specks on the wings. The uppertail coverts are creamy with olive-brown barring. The tail is dark-grey. Male Plum-headed Finches have a larger plum-coloured patch on their forehead than females. They also have a plum-coloured throat patch. Females have a smaller plum-coloured frons, with the near-white facial mask continuing above the eyes. The eyes of both sexes have dark irises. The strong, wedge-shaped bill is grey, with a darker upper mandible than the lower one. The legs and feet are greyish-pink. Juveniles do not have plum-coloured head markings yet and only gradually develop the frontal barring. Twitcher's tip Note the similarity of Plum-headed Finches with silverbills found elsewhere, e.g. Indian Silverbills. Body shape, tail and bill are all similar.

Taxonomy, classification See Plum-headed 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 Plum-headed Finch is available HERE . Plum-headed Finches are endemic to Australia. They are found primarily in the Great Dividing Range and in the plains to the West of the ranges, from about Sydney, NSW, and Orange, NSW, in the South, up to about Bourke, NSW, and Barcaldine, QLD, in the West, up to central and northern QLD, with the northern edge of their range near Cairns, QLD. They are found on the coastal fringe only from about Cairns to Townsville, QLD, from Byfield to Yeppoon, QLD, and from the Manning River to Sydney, NSW. Plum-headed Finches have a preference for the edges of open woodland towards more open spaces such as grassland, often in tall grass tussocks or reeds around freshwater lakes, creeks or also around farm dams. Where to look? How to find this species? In our experience, Plum-headed Finches are not found anywhere far from water. A search for the species had best start around any type of fresh water habitat, preferably with tall reeds, such as cumbungi. Also dam walls and levees, especially when covered in (prickly) weeds, are good points to check out. If a mob of brownish finches flushes, it is best NOT to despair, thinking that they are all gone, because mobs of Plum-headed Finches will often leave behind individuals that flush much later than the majority (or, if one is careful, will stay).

Sightings Click here for sighting information We first spotted a pair of Plum-headed Finches in March 2006, 20 km South of Narrabri, NSW. In subsequent years, a small group of Plum-headed Finches was found in the same location regularly. Since then, Plum-headed Finches are found by us occasionally in and around Narrabri, NSW, and in other locations in inland NSW, from Moree, Pilliga and Yarrie Lakenear Wee Waa in the North to New Quipolly Dam near Quirindi, Putta Bucca Wetlands in Mudgee and Tiger Bay Wetlands in Warren, NSW, in the South. Although usually found in more open country, Plum-headed Finches have also been spotted by us occasionally in parts of the Pilliga scrub. In December 2022, Plum-headed Finches were found by us nesting at Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW. In April 2009 first a small group of about 5 birds, possibly one couple with the year's clutch, appeared where we lived at our place at Eulah Creek, 20 km East of Narrabri. They were followed by a flock of at least 100, which stayed in the reeds around our small dam for the next few months. Since then Plum-headed Finches appear only irregularly, usually in small numbers. A small flock of Plum-headed Finches was found by us, together with large numbers of both Double-barred Finches and Zebra Finches on the northern perimeter of Leard State Forest. C. Hayne reports spotting Plum-headed Finches regularly in various locations around Moree, NSW. A flock of about 30 Plum-headed Finches was observed by us at Myall Creek, NSW, in June 2015. M. Mearns reports spotting Plum-headed Finches at Gordonbrook Dam, near Kingaroy, QLD, in December 2015, and M. Eaton reports finding the species in the same area in June 2018. A. Ross-Taylor reports finding Plum-headed Finches at Longreach, QLD, in May 2023.

Photos

ADULT

PAIR

Close-up frontal/near-dorsal view of a pair of Plum-headed Finches
Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Male Plum-headed Finches, on the right, have a larger and darker cap than females. Females can have a pinkish spot on the lores that males don't have.
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, April 2021]

Near-frontal view of a pair of Plum-headed Finches - male in front, female close behind
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2009]

Close-up lateral view of a pair of Plum-headed Finches; male below, female above
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, May 2017]

Lateral view of a pair of Plum-headed Finches in tall reeds; male on top, female below
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2009]

Lateral view of a pair of Plum-headed Finches foraging for seeds in grassland
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2013]

MALE

Close-up frontal view of a male Plum-headed Finch
[Between Pilliga and Burrent Junction, NSW, January 2024]

Close-up frontal view of a male Plum-headed Finch looking sideways
[Between Pilliga and Burrent Junction, NSW, January 2024]

Frontal view of two male Plum-headed Finches looking sideways (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, December 2020]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Plum-headed Finch
[Between Pilliga and Burrent Junction, NSW, January 2024]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Plum-headed Finch
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, June 2020]

Near-frontal/lateral view of two male Plum-headed Finches
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, January 2021]

Close-up near-lateral view of a male Plum-headed Finch
[Between Pilliga and Burrent Junction, NSW, January 2024]

Lateral view of a male Plum-headed Finch
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, March 2013]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Plum-headed Finch stretching a wing (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Near-frontal view of a female Plum-headed Finch (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Near-frontal view of a female Plum-headed Finch looking sideways
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2009]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a female Plum-headed Finch looking sideways (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Near Narrabri, NSW, July 2020]

Near-lateral view of a female Plum-headed Finch (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Close-up lateral view of a female Plum-headed Finch feeding on seeds
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, April 2021]

Lateral view of a female Plum-headed Finch (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Near-dorsal view of a female Plum-headed Finch looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)

Near-dorsal view of a female Plum-headed Finch (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a female Plum-headed Finch; in this image one can see the bird's dotted rump
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2009]

Dorsal view of a somewhat ruffled female Plum-headed Finch
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2009]

Sex unknown

Plum-headed Finches foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Part of a flock of about 150 Plum-headed Finches (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Part of a flock of Plum-headed Finches taking a bath in a puddle, together with Zebra Finches (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Terry Hie Hie, NSW, February 2014]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Plum-headed Finch looking sideways
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, March 2009]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Plum-headed Finch looking sideways, with a female on the right
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, March 2009]

Near-frontal view of two juvenile Plum-headed Finches in reeds looking sideways (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Near-frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Plum-headed Finch
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2009]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Plum-headed Finch looking towards the observer
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, June 2020]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Plum-headed Finch looking sideways
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, June 2020]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Plum-headed Finch; this photo in particular shows up very clearly the similarity with Indian Silverbills
[February 2011]

Lateral view of a juvenile Plum-headed Finch
[Near Narrabri, NSW, February 2012]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Plum-headed Finch
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2009]

Close-up dorsal view of a juvenile Plum-headed Finch feeding on grass seeds
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, April 2021]

Dependent juvenile Plum-headed Finch begging to be fed
[New Quipolly Dam, near Qurindi, NSW, June 2019]

Dependent juvenile Plum-headed Finch being fed fed first by dad...
[New Quipolly Dam, near Qurindi, NSW, June 2019]

... then by mum
[New Quipolly Dam, near Qurindi, NSW, June 2019]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Oct - Apr

Eggs: 4 - 6

Incubation period: 12 - 14 days

Fledging age: 21 days

Nest

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

Type: Dome

Material: Grass with feather lining

Height above ground <2 m

View into the nest of a pair of Plum-headed Finches attached to the lower parts of a thistle
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, December 2022]

Sideways view of the nest of a pair of Plum-headed Finches attached to the lower parts of a thistle
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, December 2022]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Plum-headed Finch staying near its nest while the female was inside
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, December 2022]

Overview of the location of a Plum-headed Finch nest on or near the ground between two tussocks of tall grass
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, January 2008]

Eggs

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

Size: 17 x 12 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Dispersive

Elementary unit: Flock

All species of finches known to us are highly sociable.

Plum-headed Finches can often be found in tall reeds, in particular when they have mature seeds
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2017]

Family of Plum-headed Finches in the top of a dead tree
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2009]

Plum-headed Finches can come in substantial flocks
[Near Narrabri, NSW, May 2021]

Like many (if not all) finches, Plum-headed Finches are highly sociable and seek safety in numbers: from perches in trees they descend to lower perches, from where they go to ground to forage - who can find the bird that does not fit in?
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2017]

Food, Diet

Adults: Seeds

Dependents: Regurgitated seeds

Water intake: Daily

Like all other finches known to us, Plum-headed Finches feed on seeds. These include grass seeds and seeds of reeds.

Close-up lateral view of a male Plum-headed Finch feeding on grass seeds
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, November 2024]

Close-up lateral view of a male Plum-headed Finch feeding on grass seeds
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, November 2024]

Lateral view of a male Plum-headed Finch feeding on seeds
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, June 2020]

Female Plum-headed Finch, left, and juvenile feeding on the fine shoots of newly emerging plants
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, June 2020]

Juvenile Plum-headed Finch feeding on the fine shoots of newly emerging plants
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, June 2020]

Plum-headed Finches foraging for seeds in grassland (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Terry Hie Hie, NSW, July 2013]

Near-lateral view of a female Plum-headed Finch searching for seeds on the ground; note the faint-brown spot in front of the eye
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2009]

Close-up lateral/ventral view of a male Plum-headed Finch using a shrub to reach the seeds of tall grasses
[Pallamallawa, NSW, April 2014]

Lateral view of a pair of Plum-headed Finches using a fence to reach the seeds of tall grass
[Tiger Bay Wetlands, Warren, NSW, December 2016]

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.

plumhed_20200609_1.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact call	© MD
plumhed_20200114.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (flock in-flight)	© MD
plumhed_20200609_4.m4a	(NW NSW)	Warning/departure	© MD
plumhed_20151222_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	Pair Q&A (in-flight)	© MD
plumhed_20200609_3.m4a	(NW NSW)	Various (feeding mob)	© MD
plumhed_20200609_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	Various (feeding mob)	© MD
plumhed_20200609.m4a	(NW NSW)	Various (feeding mob)	© MD
plumhed_vc_20200628.m4a	(NW NSW)	Various (mob)	© VRC

More Plum-headed 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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