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Red-browed Finch (Neochmia temporalis) Alternate name(s): "Red-browed Firetail", "Redhead", "Waxbill*", "Sydney Waxbill*", "Redbill", "Temporal Finch" Aboriginal name(s): "naerne" Size: 11-12 cm Body mass: 7-13 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 Red-browed Finches are small finches. Their front, from the throat to the undertail coverts, is all light-grey, the throat being the lightest shade of grey. The rest of the head, except for prominent red eye-brows and lores, is also grey. The mantle is olive-green, the wings are more greyish-olive. The rump is brightly scarlet; the tail is black. The eyes have red-brown irises. The bill is red, with a black stripe ontop of the upper mandible and at the base of the lower mandible. The legs and feet are the colour of skin. Juveniles have a more tawny front, darker grey head and darker grey-olive back than adults. Their bill is dark-grey.

Taxonomy, classification See Red-browed 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 Red-browed Finch is available HERE . There are two races of Red-browed Finches in Australia, both of which are endemic to the Australian continent. Nominate race "temporalis" is found from Kangaroo Island and Adelaide, SA, along the South coast through VIC, along the East coast through NSW and QLD, up to about Port Douglas, QLD. South of the tropic of Capricorn they are also found in the Great Dividing Range and in some parts also out into the plains beyond the ranges. For example, they are found in the Pilliga scrub and Warrumbungle NP, NSW. North of Port Douglas, QLD, all along the coastline of Cape York peninsula, to about Kowanyama, QLD, race "minor" is found. Red-browed Finches have a preference for dense underbrush of forests, regularly near more open areas, also near water. They also live in by us in heathland and dense scrub. At least in rural areas they may stay in dense shrubs in gardens and parks. Where to look? How to find this species? Although mostly found by us in the general vicinity of water, often along inland water courses, they do also cross open country and appear in relatively isolated patches of vegetation. In our experience, the most promising places to start looking (or listening!) for them are creek crossings of country roads, even if the creeks are dry at the time. If present, Red-browed Finches will usually stay relatively close to the ground, seldom higher than 5-8 m above ground level.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "temporalis" Red-browed Finches, race "temporalis", visited us infrequently where we lived until 2006, 20 km South of Narrabri, NSW. We saw them only a few times in our garden; however, they were always present in nearby woodland and scrub. They are also found by us regularly in various parts of the Pilliga scrub. Red-browed Finches, race "temporalis", are seen by us regularly on the western fringes of Mt. Kaputar NP, 30-40 km East of Narrabri, e.g. in Deriah Aboriginal Area. They were found to be common there and elsewhere in the hills of the Great Dividing Range in the years since. Contributors report, and we also regularly spot, Red-browed Finches, race "temporalis", on the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range, on the coastal fringe of both NSW and QLD. I. Duncan reports spotting Red-browed Finches, race "temporalis", at Glen Iris wetlands, Melbourne, VIC, in May 2013. R. Plumtree reports spotting Red-browed Finches, race "temporalis", occasionally in the area of Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC. M. Mearns reports spotting Red-browed Finches, race "temporalis", at Bunya Mountains NP, QLD, in December 2015. M. Eaton found Red-browed Finches, race "temporalis", in various locations along the (near-)coastal fringe of south-eastern QLD, e.g. at Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, in October 2021.

Photos

Race "temporalis"

ADULT

PAIR

Frontal view of two Red-browed Finches feeding on seeds (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Frontal/near-lateral view of two Red-browed Finches feeding on seeds of the introduced weed "Stickybeak", Bidens pilosa (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Frontal/lateral view of a pair of Red-browed Finches waiting in a Cypress pine tree for the intruder to leave
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2013]

Lateral view of two Red-browed Finches foraging on the ground
[Wingham, NSW, September 2010]

MALE

Near-frontal view of a male Red-browed Finch with a gift for its partner (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Julatten, QLD, October 2023]

Near-frontal view of a male Red-browed Finch with a gift for its partner (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2013]

Sex unknown

Close-up frontal portrait of a Red-browed Finch
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2023]

Close-up frontal view of a Red-browed Finch in a casuarina
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, August 2024]

Near-frontal view of a Red-browed Finch looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, November 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Red-browed Finch looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Red-browed Finch in a casuarina
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, August 2024]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Red-browed Finch
[Near Narrabri, NSW, May 2021]

Near-frontal view of a Red-browed Finch in coastal heathland
[Munmorah SCA, NSW, July 2013]

Near-lateral view of a Red-browed Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Close-up lateral view of a Red-browed Finch in a casuarina
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, August 2024]

Close-up lateral view of a Red-browed Finch in a casuarina, slightly different stance
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, August 2024]

Lateral view of a Red-browed Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, November 2019]

Lateral view of a Red-browed Finch (photo courtesy of I. Duncan)
[Glen Iris wetlands, Melbourne, VIC, May 2013]

Lateral view of a Red-browed Finch, different posture (photo courtesy of I. Duncan)
[Glen Iris wetlands, Melbourne, VIC, May 2013]

Close-up lateral view of a Red-browed Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lamington NP, QLD, February 2018]

Close-up lateral view of a Red-browed Finch (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri, NSW, June 2021]

Lateral view of a soaking wet Red-browed Finch
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, October 2015]

Lateral view of a preening Red-browed Finch
[Wingham, NSW, September 2011]

Trivia challenge: What is that? Answer: A preening Red-browed Finch
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, March 2009]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Red-browed Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gold Creek Reservoir, QLD, February 2019]

Dorsal view of a Red-browed Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, November 2019]

Close-up dorsal view of a Red-browed Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lamington NP, QLD, February 2018]

Dorsal view of a Red-browed Finch in coastal heathland
[Munmorah SCA, NSW, July 2013]

Comparison between a Red-browed Finch and a Double-barred Finch (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, February 2013]

Near-frontal view of a Red-browed Finch in flight (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Near Narrabri, NSW, June 2021]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Red-browed Finch (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Old Coach Road, Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2014]

Lateral view of a juvenile Red-browed Finch feeding on the ground (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri, NSW, June 2021]

Lateral view of an adult (top) with two juvenile Red-browed Finches (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Near Moree, April 2013]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Oct - Mar

Eggs: 5 - 8

Incubation period: 13 - 15 days

Fledging age: 24 days

Given the right conditions, Red-browed Finches can breed any time of the year.

Lateral view of a male Red-browed Finch bearing a gift for his partner to entice her into mating with him
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2013]

Pair of Red-browed Finches working on the next generation (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2013]

Nest

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

Type: Dome

Material: Grass with feather lining

Height above ground 1 - 3 m

Additional information

A. Morris reports that Red-browed Finches 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.

View from below of a Red-browed Finch nest in a shrub
[Near Narrabri, NSW, February 2025]

Red-browed Finch nest in a decorative shrub in a rural garden
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]

Red-browed Finch carrying nest material to its nest that is still under construction (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, February 2022]

Red-browed Finch carrying nest material (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, February 2022]

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

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Dispersive

Elementary unit: Mob

All species of finches known to us are highly sociable.

Part of a mob of Red-browed Finches taking time out to rest and preeen
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2026]

Red-browed Finches like to drink from shallow waters, such as e.g. rockpools or puddles; this one used a casuarina to approach a rockpool below
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, April 2013]

A page with a sequence of photos showing the bathing technique of Red-browed Finches is available HERE.

Public pool a la Red-browed Finch (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, November 2007]

Red-browed Finches and Silvereyes taking a bath together (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Food, Diet

Adults: Seeds

Dependents: Regurgitated seeds

Water intake: Daily

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

Close-up lateral view of a Red-browed Finch feeding on casuarina seeds; Red-browed Finches do not have the power to crack casuarina seeds as Glossy Black-Cockatoos would do - they must wait until the seed cones open up by themselves to release the mature seeds
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, August 2024]

Frontal view of a Red-browed Finch with a seed (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Near-frontal view of a Red-browed Finch feeding on grass seeds (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri, NSW, June 2021]

Lateral view of a Red-browed Finch feeding on grass seeds (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri, NSW, June 2021]

Near-lateral view of a Red-browed Finch feeding on the seeds of reeds
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, October 2015]

Near-lateral view of a Red-browed Finch feeding on the seeds of reeds
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, October 2015]

Lateral view of two Red-browed Finches found, to our surprise, feeding on aquatic plants
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, September 2023]

Red-browed Finch feeding on grass seeds (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gold Creek Reservoir, QLD, February 2019]

Red-browed Finch feeding on grass seeds (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, March 2017]

Frontal view of a Red-browed Finch feeding on seeds of the introduced weed "Stickybeak", Bidens pilosa
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Lateral view of a Red-browed Finch feeding on seeds of the introduced weed "Stickybeak", Bidens pilosa
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]

Near-lateral view of a Red-browed Finch drinking from a waterhole
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, October 2015]

Near-lateral view of a Red-browed Finch drinking from a waterhole
[Pilliga scrub, NSW, October 2015]

Frontal view from above of a Red-browed Finch having a drink
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, October 2013]

Close-up view of a mob of Red-browed Finches at a waterhole
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, October 2013]

Lateral view of four of a total of about 20 Red-browed Finches approaching a waterhole at sunset
[Near Barraba, NSW, June 2011]

Red-browed Finch in a food bowl (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

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.

rbfinch_20210521_2.m4a	temporalis (NW NSW)	Contact calls	© MD
rbfinch_20210521.m4a	temporalis (NW NSW)	Departing mob	© MD
rbfinch_vc_20210527.m4a	temporalis (NW NSW)	Alarm calls (Little Eagle)	© VC
rbfinch_20210521_3.m4a	temporalis (NW NSW)	? (+ Spotted Pardalote)	© MD

More Red-browed 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.