Identification Red Eared Firetail
Olive-brown,
finely barred in black. Red bill; crimson rump and
uppertail coverts. Small crimson ear patch. Bold white
spots on black flanks. Breeding Female: paler ear patch,
bill. Size 12-13 cm. Juv: duller; bill black.
Voice Red Eared Firetail
Call
& Song: At least five: a mournful 'ooweeo, singly or
repeated in series for identification and contact, more
quavering in female; 'twit-twit' greeting on approach to
nest at change over, answered with 'tweet-tit-tit-tit'
from bird within nest; quickly repeated nasal 'cherk' in
chase; bursts of six syllabled nasal whistles when
searching for nest site; harsh clucking in alarm.
Habitat Red Eared Firetail
Dense
coastal forest and scrub, swampy heathlands. Usually in
pairs. Food; seeds and insects.
Distribution
Red Eared Firetail
Coastal
south-western Australia, from the Darling Range to
Esperance.
Nest Red Eared Firetail
Well
made, bottle shaped, composed of green grasses; usually
placed at the extremity of a horizontal branch of a swamp
banksia or other bush, at heights up to 15 feet or more
from the ground.
Breeding
Red Eared Firetail
Breeding
Season: September to February. Eggs: Four to six; white.
Incubation 14 days, by both sexes. Young fledge in about
21 days.
Breeders
Price Guide (Aviary bred pairs) Red Eared Firetail
$?
Aviary
Licence Requirements Red Eared Firetail
| ACT |
NSW |
NT |
Qld |
SA |
Tas |
Vic |
WA |
| Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
Yes |
Yes |
Aviary Notes Red Eared
Firetail
They prefer an aviary that is open. They can be kept in a
collection of small seed eaters. They will defend their
nest vigorously. Paired up or as a colony. A lot of time
is spent on the ground foraging.
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