Star Finch

The star finch, Bathilda ruficauda, is a small and vibrant estrildid finch, measuring between 10 and 12 cm in length. It is adorned with a striking crimson face and a scarlet bill, while its plumage is a cheerful yellow-green, speckled with broad white spots on the underparts. The belly is a more pronounced yellow, and the upper tail coverts are a vivid scarlet, with tail feathers of a brownish scarlet hue. The female is less vivid, with reduced crimson on the head, and the immature birds are olive to brownish with a grey face and head.

Identification Tips

To identify the star finch, look for its red face and bill, and the distinctive white spots that trail down its flanks. The wingspan ranges from 49 to 56 mm, the bill length from 11 to 13 mm, and the bird weighs between 10 and 12 grams. The male is generally brighter than the female, and juveniles have a more subdued coloration.

Habitat

The star finch favours low, dense, damp grasslands and sedgelands, often found bordering estuarine areas, watercourses, swamps, and other freshwater bodies. They also inhabit grassy, open savanna-type sclerophyll woodland and can occasionally be seen in towns.

Distribution

This species is native to northern Australia, with its range extending from Western Australia and the Northern Territory to northern Queensland. However, the subspecies found in northern Queensland coastal regions may be extinct.

Behaviour

Star finches are sociable birds, typically seen in flocks of 10 to 30, which can swell to hundreds. They are granivorous, foraging just above the ground or on the ground itself, especially during the dry season. Their nesting involves constructing a globe of grass lined with feathers, where they lay 3 to 7 white eggs.

Diet and Feeding

Star finches are primarily seed-eaters, foraging in vegetation just above the ground and often feeding directly on the ground, particularly in the dry season.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List classifies the star finch as Least Concern with a decreasing population. The species is presumed extinct in New South Wales and is listed as Near Threatened in the Northern Territory. The subspecies ruficauda is believed to number less than 50 individuals and is possibly extinct, with the last reliable sighting in 1994.