Identification Crimson Finch
Male:
slender 'upright' crimson finch with long tapered tail.
Nape and crown grey. Upperparts washed grey. Belly and
undertail coverts black (white on Cape York Peninsula
morph). Fine white flank spots. Female: crimson, washed
brownish-olive; centre belly pale creamish-fawn. Size
12-14 cm. Juv: duller than female; black bill. Flicks
tail.
Voice
Crimson Finch
Claa;
Loud, penetrating chatter, 'tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee',
soft and one or two syllabled in contact, or loud and
repeated rapidly in alarm or identification. Song: Soft,
rapid rasping ending in three low descending notes.
Habitat Crimson Finch
Watercourses
with tall grass, pananas; cane fields. In pairs or
flocks. Feeds on the seeds of grasses and other plants,
also on termites.
Distribution
Crimson Finch
Tropical
northern Australia (except Cape York Peninsula) and south
in small numbers to the Dawson River (Qld).
Nest Crimson Finch
Bulky
bottle shaped, composed of dried grasses, bark, and
leaves; lined with grass and feathers or fur; normally
built in tall grass, a bush, or a pandanus palm-tree.
Breeding
Crimson Finch
Breeding
Season: August to May. Eggs: Five to eight; white.
Incubation 14 days, by both sexes. Young fledge in about
21 days.
Breeders
Price Guide (Aviary bred pairs) Crimson Finch
(Black
bellied) $80 to $100 ; (White bellied) $300 to $350
Aviary
Licence Requirements Crimson Finch
| ACT |
NSW |
NT |
Qld |
SA |
Tas |
Vic |
WA |
| Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
Yes |
Yes |
Aviary Notes Crimson Finch
They prefer a covered aviary away from cold and drafts.
They are best kept with their own kind or birds with no
red on them at all as they are aggressive, even small
amounts of red can set them off. They are not a good bird
for beginners.
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