A small brownish bird with gray head, black throat, narrow black lores, very long black tail, and either a red bill (Northern Territory) or pale yellow bill (Western Australia).
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
Indigenous: Ninin
At a glance
FamilyWaxbills and Allies
SizeTiny
RarityCommon
HabitatInhabits grasslands and grassy woodlands across northwestern Australia.
Best timeMost reliable in Northern Territory from June to September.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by James Lambert
Range map
Range map
200approx hotspots
16871approx records
3states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Note white rump in flight. Juveniles similar but duller, with dark bill. Compare with Masked Finch, which has black mask and lacks gray head.
Behavior
Feeds on grass seeds in social flocks, uses calls to maintain contact, and performs upright singing displays during courtship.
Gallery
Regional timing
Northern Territory
Western Australia
Queensland
New South Wales