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Star Finch (Neochmia ruficauda) Alternate name(s): "Red-faced Finch", "Red-tailed Finch" Size: 10-12 cm Body mass: 10-12 g

Australia: Family Group 24 Family Group 24 Table Horsfield's Bushlark Australian Pipit Eastern Yellow Wagtail Citrine Wagtail Grey Wagtail White Wagtail Zebra Finch Double-barred Finch Long-tailed Finch Black-throated Finch Masked Finch Crimson Finch Plum-headed Finch Pictorella Mannikin Chestnut-breasted Mannikin Yellow-rumped Mannikin Blue-faced Parrot-Finch Diamond Firetail Beautiful Firetail Red-eared Firetail Painted Finch Star Finch Red-browed Finch Gouldian Finch Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds Australi home page

Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Star Finches are small to medium-sized finches. Both sexes have a red facial mask, a dull olive-grey back, an olive-grey chest with white specks and a chestnut tail. The only differences between males and females are that the latter have a more yellowish-olive belly than the male's yellowish-grey one, and that the spot pattern of males is coarser than that of females. The triangular bill is the same shade of red as the facial mask. The irises are orange-brown, the legs and feet are greyish-orange. Juveniles have a greyish-brown front, with a somewhat lighter belly, and a dark brownish-grey head, back and wings. The uppertail is reddish to chestnut. Their bill is black and their irises are darker brown than those of adults.

Taxonomy, classification See Star 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 Star Finch is available HERE . Star Finches are endemic to the Australian continent. There used to be 3 races of Star Finches, but nominate race "ruficauda", which occupied central eastern QLD, is probably extinct. Of the remaining two races, "clarescens" is found in three small areas along the coastline of Cape York peninsula, QLD. "subclarescens" has three separate sub-populations. One occupies north-western WA, northward of Exmouth, WA, as far eastward as the western end of Eighty Mile Beach, WA. A second sub-population resides in the western Kimberley, WA, while a third is found from the eastern Kimberley eastward into the northern inland NT, and from there northward towards Darwin and Kakadu NP, NT. Star Finches have a preference for dry grassland and dry savannah.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "clarescens" J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours reports finding Star Finches, race "clarescens", at Rinyirru (Lakefield) NP, Cape York peninsula, QLD, in September 2020. Race "subclarescens" B. Hensen reports spotting a Star Finch, race "subclarescens", at Timber Creek, NT, in July 2018. P. Brown reports finding a Star Finch, race "subclarescens", along the Victoria River, Judburra (Gregory) NP, near Timber Creek, NT, in November 2018. M. Eaton spotted a Star Finch, race "subclarescens", in Katherine, NT, and 100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, in July 2020. At the latter location they were found again in June 2026.

Photos

Race "clarescens"

ADULT

MALE

Lateral view of a male Star Finch - note the bright colours and the extended facial mask
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Rinyirru (Lakefield) NP, QLD, September 2020]

FEMALE

Lateral view of 5 Star Finches - possibly a family; male at the centre, female to his right, plus 3 immature birds whose bills are turning orange (the bills of juveniles would be dark) (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Rinyirru (Lakefield) NP, QLD, September 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a flock of Star Finches, with males, females, immature and juvenile birds, the latter with dark bills; a few Peaceful Doves provide a size comparison (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Rinyirru (Lakefield) NP, QLD, September 2020]

Race "subclarescens"

ADULT

PAIR

Near-lateral view of a three Star Finches - males left and centre, female on the right (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a family of Star Finches - female in front, male at the back, juveniles in between
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, June 2026]

MALE

Frontal view of a male Star Finch - note the bright colours and the extended facial mask (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]

Near-frontal view of a male Star Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]

Near-lateral view of a male Star Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a male Star Finch looking at the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, June 2026]

Close-up lateral view of a male Star Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, June 2026]

Close-up lateral view of a male Star Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, June 2026]

Lateral view of a male Star Finch, together with a Long-tailed Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, June 2026]

Dorsal view of a male Star Finch looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, June 2026]

FEMALE

Near-lateral view of a female Star Finch shaking out its plumage after a bath (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a female Star Finch; note the small red facial mask and the absence of white spots on the crown
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Victoria River, Judburra (Gregory) NP, near Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]

Lateral view of a female Star Finch; note the small red facial mask and the absence of white spots on the crown
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Victoria River, Judburra (Gregory) NP, near Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]

Sex unknown

Frontal view from above onto a Star Finch, right, drinking water together with a Long-tailed Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of an immature Star Finch, with juvniles behind (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, June 2026]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Star Finch, with an adult behind (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Star Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Star Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Star Finch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Dispersive

Elementary unit: Pair/mob

Food, Diet

Star Finches are seed eaters.

Lateral view of a male Star Finch having a drink of water (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[100 km W of Timber Creek, NT, June 2026]

Family of Star Finches at a waterhole, together with juvenile Yellow-rumped Mannikins
(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]

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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