Common, Resident, Grass-seed Eater… Red-browed Finch

By Keith Hutton on May 12, 2011 in Other

Red-browed Finches are small, quiet, olive-backed birds with grey underparts. They feed on the ground in low vegetation in open areas and they show scarlet flashes when disturbed, as they fly up into adjacent undergrowth and shrubs. They frequent short grassy clearings and footpaths in forests, woodlands and heath lands, and are widespread in eastern Australia. In the Eastern Suburbs they occur locally in suitable habitat and may be seen in coastal heaths; you can also expect to see them in the Lachlan Swamp area of Centennial Park.

They usually occur in pairs or family groups, but in autumn and winter flocks up to 100 or more get together. If you approach quietly after disturbing a feeding group of Red-browed Finches they will return to the ground where you can see they are much more attractive than first apparent. Adults have scarlet bills, eyebrows and rumps and leaden-grey crowns. Their bills are robust and conical, their backs are actually a bright olive-green and their conspicuous scarlet rumps contrast with fairly long, dark tails. Immature birds are duller and browner, with black bills and only their rumps coloured red. Birds in flocks keep in touch with weak, high-pitched calls.

Red-browed Finches occur naturally only in eastern Australia, from Cape York south to Victoria and west to Adelaide and Kangaroo Island. They are not found in Tasmania and a small population established in metropolitan Perth has resulted from the release of aviary birds. They are generally resident or sedentary but may also be locally nomadic and occupy a variety of habitats with dense shrubs interspersed with open grassy areas, usually close to water. They occur regularly in cleared agricultural areas, and in parks and gardens, or on golf courses in towns and cities.

Red-browed Finches eat a great variety of ripe and half-ripe small seeds, specialising in grass seeds, supplemented with other plant material and insects. The diet varies seasonally with changes in abundance and availability of major food sources. They forage while hopping quietly and taking fallen seeds from the ground, or by reaching to take seeds directly from seed-heads of standing plants. Also, they often glean seeds while perched. Grass seeds are the major food items throughout the year but insects and the seeds of native fruits become more prevalent in the diet during the breeding season. Newly hatched nestlings are fed insects, while older young are fed mainly grass seeds with husks removed.

Red-browed Finches are Australian native birds that appear to have adapted well to European settlement. Dieback of eucalypt woodlands has contributed to the decline of populations in parts of NSW, as has clearing dense shrubs, while clearance of sclerophyll forests has resulted in local increases in numbers. Cats often kill Red-browed Finches but they remain among the commonest breeding birds in Australia and do not appear to be threatened overall.