Bird

Red-browed Finch

Neochmia temporalis

Also known as Red-browed Firetail, Sydney Waxbill, Temporal Finch

Small, active flocks of red-browed finches flit through dense undergrowth and roadside grasses, chattering with high-pitched piping whistles. Readily recognized by their bright crimson eyebrow stripe and red rump contrasting against olive-green plumage, they feed on ripe and half-ripe grass seeds in social groups of ten to twenty birds. Breeding pairs build large, untidy dome nests of woven grass stems with long side-entrance tunnels tucked securely into prickly shrubs.

SongbirdFlockingGranivore

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Least ConcernConservation status

Key facts

Diet & preyNative grass seeds, Invasive grass seeds, Small insects

Predators

Feral Cat
Collared Sparrowhawk
Pied Currawong

ThreatsHabitat clearance, native vegetation degradation, and predation by domestic and feral cats

HabitatsTemperate forests, woodland edges, grasslands, coastal scrub, and suburban parks

Life span5–8 years

Classification

OrderPasseriformes
FamilyEstrildidae
GenusNeochmia
SpeciesNeochmia temporalis

Range & activity

Range data is not available yet.

Safe observation

Interaction riskLow

Low
Moderate
High
Very high

Why interaction risk is low: Safe to observe at a normal distance.

Responsible observation

Spotting: Scan low shrubbery and roadside grasses where small feeding flocks gather on bare earth.
Listening: Tune your ear to thin, high-pitched piping contact calls emitted while feeding.
Binoculars: Approach slowly without sudden movements, as flock members flush together into dense bushes.

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