YELLOW-RUMPED MANNIKIN

Photographed at Katherine, Northern Territory, April 2018

1250                 YELLOW-RUMPED MANNIKIN                  Lonchura flaviprymna

AUSTRALIA              745

Also known as Yellow-rumped Munia. Found in eastern Kimberley, WA, and nw NT. Usually in subtropical to tropical mangroves, moist savanna and wetland habitat.

Katherine January 2024

JAVA SPARROW

Photographed on Christmas Island, December 2016

956                JAVA SPARROW                 Lonchura oryzivora

AUSTRALIA (Christmas Island)                686

Also known as Java Finch, Java Rice Sparrow, Java Rice Bird. Found in grassland and cultivation, especially rice fields. 15-17 cm. Resident in Java, Bali and Bawean; popular cage and aviary bird introduced into many countries; introduced into Christmas Island.

TAWNY-BREASTED PARROTFINCH

Photographed on Lombok, Indonesia November 2016

(880)              TAWNY-BREASTED PARROTFINCH              Erythrura hyperthra  

INDONESIA (Lombok)          (103)        

Occurs in forest edges and bamboo thickets where it feeds on seeds and probably some insects. 10 cm. Distribution: Sunda and Wallacea subregions into the Philippines in Indonesia; a generally rare montane resident on Java and northern Kalimantan as well as on Sulawesi, Lombok, Sumbawa and Flores.

Note: listed as rare, secretive, active and difficult to watch.

NUTMEG MANNIKIN

Photographed in Denpasar, Bali October 2016

(see 712)                  NUTMEG MANNIKIN             Lonchura punctuate

INDONESIA (Bali)          (8)

Also known as Spice Finch, Spice Bird, Scaly-breasted Munia or Scaly Breasted Mannikin.Found in open country, frequents open woodlands, fields, cultivation and gardens. 11 cm. Range: Oriental region: introduced into Hawaii, Australia and Seychelles; widespread and common on Sumatra, Java, Bali and parts of Wallace.

BLACK-THROATED FINCH

Photographed at Saltwater Creek October 2015

683         BLACK-THROATED FINCH          Poephila cincta

Australia       (525)

Also known as Black-rumped, Black-tailed or Parson Finch. 10 cm. Found in grassy scrubland/woodland/dune woodlands/pandanus near water. Range: ne Aust race: nigrotecta: n C York Pen. Nominate race: w. to Doomadgee, s to c Cloncurry-Winton-Clermont, e. to c. Townsville-upper Burdekin R. Sparse population in New England region (NSW). Sedentary; locally nomadic. Vulnerable

BLUE-FACED PARROT-FINCH

Juvenile, photographed near Kingfisher Lodge, Jullaten, Queensland October 2015

679            BLUE-FACED PARROT-FINCH             Erythrura trichroa 

Australia           (521)

Found in coastal mangrove fringiest margins of and grassy clearings in, mountain rainforests over 1000 m. 12-13 cm. Range: imperfectly known. Usually stated as from near Cooktown (Q), to Mt Lewis, near Jullaten, and Atherton Tableland, but breeding reported from Iron Range, e. Cape York Pen, and near Ingham. Seasonal nomad or migrant, to highlands in summer, coastal lowlands. Rare.

Comment: difficult to find even when an area is located. Took many days of searching for.

MASKED FINCH

Photographed on the Savannah Way, Northern Territory, May 2015

617          MASKED FINCH        Poephila personata

Australia         (460)

12.5-13.5 cm. Found near water in grasslands with shrubs, scattered timber; paperbarks. Feeds on ground. Race personata ranges from Broome (WA) through Kimberley; Top End (NT) s. to Victoria R. Downs-Newcastle Waters-Brunette Downs; Gulf Lowlands s. to Camooweal (Q). Race leucotis: s. C. York Pen. (Q) from c. lower Leichhardt R. , n. to Watson R., Princess Charlotte Bay, s. to c. Georgetown-Chillagoe. Fairly common, sedentary.

Darwin, January 2024

GOULDIAN FINCH

Photographed on road to Mornington, Kimberley, Western Australia, May 2015

610          GOULDIAN FINCH       Erythrura gouldiae

Australia      (453)

13-14 cm. Comes in Yellow-headed, Black-headed and Red-headed form. breeds in Savannah woodland on stony hills with eucalypts over dense, tall (2 m) native grasses. Range: from near Broome(WA), e. through Kimberley, to s. of L. Argyle; e. to Top End (NT), s. to. Victoria R. Downs; sparse along Gulf coast to s. Cape York Pen. (Q), e. and s. to c. Georgetown. Seasonally nomadic. Endangered.

LONG-TAILED FINCH

Photographed at Broome Bird Observatory, Western Australia, May 2015 (Race: acuticaudia)

595           LONG-TAILED FINCH           Poephila acuticauda

Australia        ( 438)  

Also known as Blackhearts.  15-16.5 cm. Found in grassy woodlands near water; coastal plains with pandanus. Range: coastal n. Aust., from Broome (WA), through Kimberley, Top End (NT), s. to c. Elliott; e. into nw. Q, to c. Burketown-Leichhardt R., s. to Mt. Isa region.

PAINTED FINCH

Photographed at Bush Beach, Western Australia April 2015

582         PAINTED FINCH          Emblema pictum

Australia           (425)

Found in spinifex rocky hills over permanent water, plains; acacia scrubs; citrus orchards. Range is patchy through arid inland and w. coast Australia: e. to Winton-Opalton (Q); n. to Mt Isa-Nicholson R.-Alexandria-Wave Hill (NT); w. to s. Kimberley-Pilbara (WA), to w. coast c. Eighty MileBeach-Carnarvon; s. inland to upper Murchison R.-Menzies; in SA, s. to c. Oodnadatta-n. Flinders Ras.-L. Frome. Nomadic.

EUROPEAN GREENFINCH

Photographed on Adventure Beach, South Bruny Island, Tasmania, January 2015

488        EUROPEAN GREENFINCH               Carduelis chloris

Australia            (329)

14-16 cm. Native of Europe, N. Africa and Middle East, introduced into Australia from 1860s, spread to Tasmania in 1940s. Range SE Australia, se tip of SA, all Victoria and Tasmania and se NSW. Found in farmland, weedy wastelands, coastal dunes, swamp-woodlands, roadsides, orchards, parks; favours introduced trees.

CRIMSON FINCH

Photographed Townsville Common, August 2014. Male above, female with red head and brown body.

226            CRIMSON FINCH           Neochmia phaeton

Australia        (226)

12.5-14 cm. Found near water, cane grass, pandanus, paperbark, crops, roadsides and gardens. Range from Broome across Leichhardt River, a pocket on west coast of Cape York, and down e. coast to Mackay.

Darwin, January 2024