Long-tailed Finch (Poephila acuticauda)
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Long-tailed Finch

Poephila acuticauda (Gould, 1840)

14 gWeight

The long-tailed finch (Poephila acuticauda) is a common species of estrildid finch found in northern Australia, from the Kimberley region to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Busiest months: August–October · Most records: Australia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Long-tailed Finch has been recorded at 15 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Broome Bird ObservatoryAustralia1,294 records
  2. Muirhead bushlandAustralia394 records
  3. Taylors LagoonAustralia314 records
More places
  1. Lake EdaAustralia314 records
  2. Holmes Jungle Nature ReserveAustralia206 records
  3. Roebuck Plains StationAustralia83 records
  4. Fogg Dam Conservation ReserveAustralia72 records
  5. Leanyer PondsAustralia62 records
  6. Kakadu National Park – Yellow WaterAustralia40 records
  7. Broome South Wastewater Treatment PlantAustralia29 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Australia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The long-tailed finch (Poephila acuticauda) is a common species of estrildid finch found in northern Australia, from the Kimberley region to the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is a predominantly fawn-coloured bird with a pale grey head and prominent black bib and eyes. It inhabits dry savannah habitats in Australia and adapts readily to aviculture.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Long-tailed Finch?

The Long-tailed Finch weighs around 14 g.

Where does the Long-tailed Finch live?

Its breeding range: Australasia: northwestern to north-central Australia. It is most often recorded in Australia.

When is the best time to see the Long-tailed Finch?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in August, September and October (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Long-tailed Finch endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Long-tailed Finch as Least Concern.

What does the Long-tailed Finch eat?

Main food: Seeds.

What family is the Long-tailed Finch in?

It belongs to the family Waxbills, Munias & Allies (Estrildidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight
14 g
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Seeds
Lifestyle
Varied
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
59 mm
Tail
85 mm
Bill
12 mm
Tarsus
15 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Australasia: northwestern to north-central Australia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Waxbills, Munias & Allies Estrildidae
Genus
Poephila

Other birds in the genus Poephila

Masked FinchMasked FinchPoephila personataBlack-throated FinchBlack-throated FinchPoephila cinctaPictorella MannikinPictorella MannikinHeteromunia pectoralisMountain FiretailMountain FiretailOreostruthus fuliginosusDiamond FiretailDiamond FiretailStagonopleura guttataRed-eared FiretailRed-eared FiretailStagonopleura oculataBeautiful FiretailBeautiful FiretailStagonopleura bellaCrimson FinchCrimson FinchNeochmia phaetonRed-browed FinchRed-browed FinchNeochmia temporalisPainted FinchPainted FinchEmblema pictum
Long-tailed Finch

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from reference photos. ↗

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