Double-bar Finch

Description:

100 - 110 mm in length. Male:- Crown to mid-back is brown-grey, with fine black barring. Black upper rump. Lower rump and upper tail coverts are white, in eastern race and black in the north-western race. Black wings are finely spotted with white. Tail is black. Face and upper breast is white-cream. Thin black ring from forehead, above the eye, around face and across lower breast. The lower breast and belly is cream. Under-tail is black. Eye is dark brown. A blue-grey bill and slate-grey feet. Female:- As male; black barring is often narrower.

Habitat:

In my backyard, on the birdbath.

Notes:

Double-bar Finches are of the family Ploceidae. Other names are:- Ringed Finch; Owl-faced Finch; Double-barred Finch; Black-rumped Double-bar; Banded Finch; Bicheno Finch or Black-ringed Finch. These little gregarious (sociable), flocking ground-hoppers, are absolutely delightful to watch and listen to. During the day, these Finches greet each other by bowing, with twisted tails and opening and shutting the bill, very quickly. They mate for life. This Ploceidae family are made up of birds that are small, thick-set, seed-eating, with stout, pointed, unbristled bills. Tails are either short and square or long and streaming. Wings are rounded, with short tenth outer primary. Plumage is often brightly coloured and patterned. They feed mostly on grains but also augment (increase) the diet with insects. Food is stored in the crop - pouchlike enlargement of a birds oesophagus. They are regular drinkers and stand at the edge of the water immersing the face and sucking up the water. This little birds call is a short, low, nasal tat, when in close contact or a longer, louder, nasal tiaat, in identification, alarm and flight. High-pitched squeaking at nest. The song is a soft repetitive sequence of nasal identification notes. These birds are distributed in small, grassy pockets; thicket and surface water in woodland and open forest, around coastal and near inland northern and eastern Australia - from the Kimberleys in Western Australia to the Murray River in New South Wales. Double-bar Finches have also adapted to human settlement, therefore extending towards the south-eastern coastal regions. Two subspecies being identified by the colour of the rump. Bichenovil race is the one around my area. The other race is annulosa. A joy to behold in my backyard A welcome most each every day A place to bring all of the family 'Tis a pleasure to me that you stay. Reference:- Michael Morcombe Field Guide to Australian Birds; Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds.