24 |
![]() |
Red-browed FinchAlternate name(s): "Red-browed Firetail", "Redhead", "Waxbill*", "Sydney Waxbill*", "Redbill", "Temporal Finch" ![]() Size: 11-12 cm Weight: 7-13 g |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
|
||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Photos |
Race "temporalis"
![]() |
ADULT |
![]() |
MALE |
Frontal view of a male Red-browed Finch bearing a gift for his partner
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2013]
![]() |
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 two Red-browed Finches waiting in a
Cypress pine
tree for the intruder to go away
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2013]
Lateral view of two Red-browed Finches foraging on the ground
[September 2010]
Sex unknown |
Close-up frontal portrait of a Red-browed Finch
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2023]
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]
Near-frontal view of a Red-browed Finch
[Near Narrabri, NSW, May 2021]
Near-frontal view of a Red-browed Finch seen by us 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]
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]
Partly obscured lateral view of a Red-browed Finch
[Near Narrabri, NSW, May 2021]
Lateral view of a soaking wet Red-browed Finch
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, October 2015]
Red-browed Finch preening
[Wingham, NSW, September 2011]
Trivia challenge: What is that? Answer: A Red-browed Finch preening
[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.
Red-browed Finch carrying nest material
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, February 2022]
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 nest in a decorative bush in a
rural garden
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]
![]() |
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: Small flock |
All species of finches known to us are highly sociable.
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]
Red-browed Finch approaching a waterhole
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
Others (Double-barred
Finches) are still around, making a splash
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
But now it is the Red-browed Finch's turn...
... and it is clearly having a good time
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
The result is a pretty wet Red-browed Finch; time for preening and drying!
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2011]
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.
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]
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 the seeds of reeds
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, October 2015]
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]
Obviously, 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, Qurindi, NSW, May 2013]
Obviously, 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, Qurindi, NSW, May 2013]
Obviously, 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, Qurindi, NSW, May 2013]
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]
Red-browed Finch drinking from a waterhole
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, October 2015]
Red-browed Finch drinking from a waterhole
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, October 2015]
Red-browed Finch having a drink
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, October 2013]
Group of Red-browed Finches at a waterhole
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, October 2013]
Four of a total of about 20 birds 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
.