The Star Finch is a species of estrildid finch

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

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. It inhabits dry grassland and dry savanna habitats.

Subspecies

It has three subspecies:

• Neochmia ruficauda subclarescens (inhabits in three separate subpopulations, from Pilbara, Fitzroy River Valley and Gibb River
  Gibb River
  The Gibb River is a river in the Kimberley of Western Australia.The headwaters of the river rise between the Caroline Range and the Gibb Range and then flows in a northerly direction until it merges with the Drysdale River of which it is a tributary....
  
  , Western Australia to the Northern Territory
  Northern Territory
  The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
  
  / Queensland
  Queensland
  Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
  
   border.)
• Neochmia ruficauda clarescens (located on the Cape York Peninsula
  Cape York Peninsula
  Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
  
  )
• Neochmia ruficauda ruficauda (probably extinct)

Threats

The habitat of Star Finch is threatened by overgrazing plain of grasslands, removing essential cover for their survival as well as sources of food and water. Selective grazing of perennials during the wet season may also remove grasses that are needed for survival during the dry season. Burning of grassland during the dry season may reduce the fallen seed during the wet season and thus reduce the food supply needed by Star Finch. This species is also threatened by cage-bird trades.

Availability

Despite the Star Finch having been listed as Near Threatened

Near Threatened

Near Threatened is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status...

 in the wild it is a common aviary

Aviary

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...

 bird. This species has mutations such as the Yellow & Cinnamon varieties.

Origin

Origin and phylogeny has been obtained by Antonio Arnaiz-Villena et al. Estrildinae may have originated in India and dispersed thereafter (towards Africa and Pacific Ocean habitats).