Long-tailed Finch
Encyclopedia
The Long-tailed Finch is a common species of estrildid finch
found in Australia; also known as the Blackheart Finch, Shaft-tail Finch, Heck's Grassfinch, Heck's Grass Finch, and Heck's Finch. It is a predominantly fawn-coloured bird with a pale grey head and prominent black bib and eyes. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 1,000,000–10,000,000 km². It inhabits dry savanna habitats in Australia. The status of the species is evaluated as Least Concern
, and adapts readily to aviculture.
in 1840 as Amadina acuticauda, having been collected by Benjamin Bynoe, the surgeon aboard HMS Beagle
. It is one of three species in the genus Poephila
. It is placed in the Australo-papuan Finch family Estrildidae, although this family itself was previously placed in the sparrow family Passeridae
.
A genetic study published in 2005 showed that the two subspecies of the Long-tailed Finch were separated from each other by the Kimberley Plateau–Arnhem Land Barrier around 340,000 years ago, and their ancestors diverged from the Black-throated Finch
(P. cincta) across the Carpentarian Barrier 0.6 million years ago.
and visible
light. A study published in 1999 showed that male Long-tailed Finches were unable to determine the sex of unfamiliar members of their species unless the latter bird declared its sex by song. Juveniles have black beaks and shorter tail feathers.
Male Long Tailed Finches approach unfamiliar members of the species and engage in a courtship display, holding themselves in an upright posture and singing, before attempting to mate with the newcomer. Male newcomers will sometimes not declare their sex when confronted by a group of birds. The authors of the study propose this is a survival mechanism to reduce harassment, increase chances of acceptance into the group and hence chances of future reproduction.
The species breeds in natural hollows. Pairs share feeding responsibilities, and there has been one report of birds from older broods helping their parents raise the following brood, the first time that cooperative breeding
has been recorded in an Australian estrildid finch. The clutch
consists of four to six dull white oval eggs measuring 17 x 12 mm. The incubation period is 13 to 17 days.
rather than a cage to thrive, and damp conditions need to be avoided. Export of the species has been banned from Australia, and they have become rather expensive for a beginner in the UK. A caged pair are best kept on their own in the breeding season, because they become aggressive to other small finches. They breed readily in captivity, sometimes producing two broods a year, and live for around 5 to 8 years. In captivity, a pair of Heck's Grass Finches (P. a. hecki) might raise brood after brood continuously, which would jeopardise their health, if they not are not feed with an adequate diet all year round. Alternatively, the sexes can be separated for the winter.
Estrildid finch
The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They can be classified as the family Estrildidae , or as a sub-group within the family Passeridae, which also includes the true sparrows....
found in Australia; also known as the Blackheart Finch, Shaft-tail Finch, Heck's Grassfinch, Heck's Grass Finch, and Heck's Finch. It is a predominantly fawn-coloured bird with a pale grey head and prominent black bib and eyes. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 1,000,000–10,000,000 km². It inhabits dry savanna habitats in Australia. The status of the species is evaluated as Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
, and adapts readily to aviculture.
Taxonomy
The Long-tailed Finch was first described by ornithologist John GouldJohn Gould
John Gould was an English ornithologist and bird artist. The Gould League in Australia was named after him. His identification of the birds now nicknamed "Darwin's finches" played a role in the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection...
in 1840 as Amadina acuticauda, having been collected by Benjamin Bynoe, the surgeon aboard HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle was a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames, at a cost of £7,803. In July of that year she took part in a fleet review celebrating the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom in which...
. It is one of three species in the genus Poephila
Poephila
Poephila is an Australian genus of the estrildid finches. The members are:* Masked Finch, Poephila personata* Long-tailed Finch, Poephila acuticauda* Black-throated Finch, Poephila cinctaThese are birds of dry open grassland...
. It is placed in the Australo-papuan Finch family Estrildidae, although this family itself was previously placed in the sparrow family Passeridae
Sparrow
The sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer...
.
A genetic study published in 2005 showed that the two subspecies of the Long-tailed Finch were separated from each other by the Kimberley Plateau–Arnhem Land Barrier around 340,000 years ago, and their ancestors diverged from the Black-throated Finch
Black-throated Finch
The Black-throated Finch , or Parson Finch, is a species of estrildid finch found in grassy woodlands throughout north-east Australia from Cape York Peninsula to north-east New South Wales...
(P. cincta) across the Carpentarian Barrier 0.6 million years ago.
Description
The adult Long-tailed Finch is around 15 cm (6 in) in length. It has a prominent roundish black bib on its throat and upper chest and a long pointed black tail. It has pinkish brown upperparts with paler plumage below its bib over the lower breast and abdomen. It has a grey head, a white ear-patch, and black lores. It has black patches on its upper flanks and its rump and undertail coverts are white. The beak colour of the adult Long-tailed Finch varies from red through orange to yellow. The subspecies with red beaks is sometimes called Heck's Grass Finch Poephila acuticauda hecki, and the nominate subspecies with orange or yellow beaks is sometimes called the Long-tailed Grass Finch. Males are females are similar, except the females may be slightly duller and may have a slightly smaller bib. Females have shorter wings and tails than males on average, but their measurements, as well as throat bib size, generally lie within the range of male measurements. Furthermore, male and female plumage is indistinguishable in ultravioletUltraviolet
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
and visible
Visible spectrum
The visible spectrum is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye. Electromagnetic radiation in this range of wavelengths is called visible light or simply light. A typical human eye will respond to wavelengths from about 390 to 750 nm. In terms of...
light. A study published in 1999 showed that male Long-tailed Finches were unable to determine the sex of unfamiliar members of their species unless the latter bird declared its sex by song. Juveniles have black beaks and shorter tail feathers.
Behaviour
The Long Tailed Finch inhabits open woodland across northern Australia, from Derby east to the Leichhardt River in northern Queensland.Male Long Tailed Finches approach unfamiliar members of the species and engage in a courtship display, holding themselves in an upright posture and singing, before attempting to mate with the newcomer. Male newcomers will sometimes not declare their sex when confronted by a group of birds. The authors of the study propose this is a survival mechanism to reduce harassment, increase chances of acceptance into the group and hence chances of future reproduction.
The species breeds in natural hollows. Pairs share feeding responsibilities, and there has been one report of birds from older broods helping their parents raise the following brood, the first time that cooperative breeding
Cooperative breeding
Cooperative breeding is a social system in which individuals contribute care to offspring that are not their own at the expense of their own reproduction . When reproduction is monopolized by one or few of the adult group members and most adults do not reproduce, but help rear the breeder’s...
has been recorded in an Australian estrildid finch. The clutch
Clutch (eggs)
A clutch of eggs refers to all the eggs produced by birds or reptiles, often at a single time, particularly those laid in a nest.In birds, destruction of a clutch by predators, , results in double-clutching...
consists of four to six dull white oval eggs measuring 17 x 12 mm. The incubation period is 13 to 17 days.
Aviculture
The Long-tailed Finch adapts readily to captivity, although it requires an aviaryAviary
An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
rather than a cage to thrive, and damp conditions need to be avoided. Export of the species has been banned from Australia, and they have become rather expensive for a beginner in the UK. A caged pair are best kept on their own in the breeding season, because they become aggressive to other small finches. They breed readily in captivity, sometimes producing two broods a year, and live for around 5 to 8 years. In captivity, a pair of Heck's Grass Finches (P. a. hecki) might raise brood after brood continuously, which would jeopardise their health, if they not are not feed with an adequate diet all year round. Alternatively, the sexes can be separated for the winter.