Fun Long-tailed Finch Facts For Kids

Endemic to northern Australia, the long-tailed finch of the Estrildidae family is a sporty medium-sized seed-eating bird. Other popular names of the species have emerged from aviculture that includes blackheart finch, Heck's finch, Heck's grassfinch, and shaft-tail finch.

The species has been subdivided into two subspecies, namely, Poephila acuticauda acuticauda and Poephila acuticauda hecki. Heck's longtail or Heck's grassfinch is mostly used for the sub-species P. a. hecki.

A distinct demarcation can be noticed between the two sub-species - the Heck's grass finch is red-billed while, on the other hand, P.a. acuticauda is yellow-billed.

It's a treat to witness the male and female birds form a pair by engaging in elaborate courtships. Most of the time, a male would take up grass in its beak holding its head up and bobbing it continually, simultaneously bending and straightening its legs.

This action is followed by puffing up the feathers on its head and raising the feathers of its black bib while still bobbing its head and wiping the beak. They also sing songs to their partners. Isn't it just adorable?

For more such heart-warming facts, keep reading. Here are some more thrilling facts about other finches like the Vampire finch and Large Ground Finch.

Long-tailed Finch Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Long-tailed Finch?

The Long-tailed Finch (Poephila acuticauda) of the Estrildidae family is a species of bird native to Australia.

What class of animal does a Long-tailed Finch belong to?

Shaft-tail finches have been classified under the Aves class while they belong to the Poephila genus.

How many Long-tailed Finches are there in the world?

Although there's a lack of quantification, the population of the shaft-tail finch is stable owing to its abundance within the geographical boundaries of Australia. As per estimations, the bird population occurs within the range of 386102-386102.58 sq. mi (1,000,000–10,000,000 sq. km) globally.

Where does a Long-tailed Finch live?

Long-tailed finches reside in northern Australia. Locations of the red-billed Heck's grass finch include Northern Territory and northwestern Queensland, whereas the yellow-billed is found mainly in Kimberley.

Places like Derby, areas near the Leichhardt River in Queensland, are replete with Long-tailed Finch. The UK is also renowned for 15 species of finches, especially the goldfinches, which can be located in southern England.

What is a Long-tailed Finch's habitat?

The habitat of these finches is confined to tropical and subtropical forests, grassy bushland, dry savannas, as well as open woodlands.

Who do Long-tailed Finches live with?

Normally, these finches can be spotted dwelling in a pair. These birds exhibit a sociable nature as they can also be found in family groups as well as small flocks. They can also be traced flocking in thousands during prolonged droughts.

How long does a Long-tailed Finch live?

The Long-tailed Finch lifespan stretches from five to eight years in captivity, given that the bird is offered proper diet and care.

How do they reproduce?

The Long-tailed Finch breeding season commences during the wet season and continues post-monsoon. During the breeding season, males try to appease females by engaging in several courtship displays and songs.

These birds breed in tree cavities or among dense vegetative covers like shrubs or areas concealed with thick grass. The grass is also the most important nesting material as the outer layer of the nest is built with broader glass blades, while the inner cup is neatly woven out of seed heads and delicate stems.

The inner portion is sometimes covered with soft plant fibers and feathers.

Nests are usually constructed on treetops or branches of trees (preferably Eucalyptus and pandanus) at the height of 13.1-59 ft (4-18 m) above the ground. After they breed and lay the eggs, the incubation period extends for 13 - 17 long days.

A clutch generally consists of four to eight eggs. Tasks of feeding and nurturing the chicks are taken up by both breeding partners.

What is their conservation status?

The species is quite widespread throughout Australia, with stable population growth and no potential threats. Hence, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, these birds have been grouped under the Least Concern category.

Long-tailed Finch Fun Facts

What do Long-tailed Finches look like?

The primary body color of these finches is fawn. The head is shaded gray while they possess a pointy black tail, black lores, buff-brown hindneck, and white ear-patch. Another noticeable feature is the black bib.

The color of the beak ranges between red, orange, and yellow, and the upper parts are pinkish brown. The beak is yellow, while the iris is dark brown.

In comparison to males, females possess a smaller bib, shorter tail and wing, and are generally duller. While males have a triangular bib, females have a more rounded one. A juvenile has a shorter tail and black beak.

How cute are they?

To put it straight, the shaft tail finch is love at first sight! With the up and down bobbing of the head, these birds look too cute and comical! Although they are not as colorful as the Gouldian finch, they're one of the most adored birds for an aviary.

How do they communicate?

Finches are vocal birds. Males articulate via multiple sounds and songs. Sounds such as 'meep' or 'peep' are very common with the shaft tail finch. The contact call sounds more like a soft 'tet' while in long-distance, the call changes to a loud, descending 'we-wooooh' or 'peew.' 'Cheek-chee-chee-cheek' is the alarm call.

How big is a Long-tailed Finch?

The average length of the shaft-tail finches is about 6 in (15.24 cm). They are comparatively larger than the European goldfinch that comes in the range of about 4.7–5.1 in (12-13 cm).

How fast can a Long-tailed Finch fly?

The accurate flight speed of the shaft tail finch needs to be deciphered. However, they're known to be fast fliers and thrifty in motion.

How much does a Long-tailed Finch weigh?

Shaft-tail finches have an average weight of around 0.4-0.62 oz (11.4-17.6 g). Females can be slightly larger than males. Generally, the weight of females ranges from 0.4-0.62 oz(11.4-17.6 g), whereas males measure around 0.47-0.57 oz (13.5-16.2 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Males and females of the species are commonly termed cocks and hens.

What would you call a baby Long-tailed Finch?

A baby's Long-tailed Finch is regarded as a nestling or hatchling, but mostly, a chick.

What do they eat?

The shaft tail finch sustains itself by feeding on an omnivorous diet comprising insects, sprouted seed, millet, and green food. Insects and worms that form an essential part of the diet include termites, small mealworms, and ant pupae.

These birds mostly dwell in pairs while foraging for food or feeding. They can also be spotted in flocks of about 20 individuals, which might include mixed species such as Black-faced Woodswallows (Artamus cinereus) as well as Hooded Parrots (Psephotellus dissimilis).

Are they dangerous?

Shaft tail finches are absolutely harmless. Usually, finches do not exhibit aggressiveness towards humans. However, violent behavior has been perceived in times of food scarcity and also while defending the nesting area from uninvited intruders.

Would they make a good pet?

Finches have an outgoing and cheerful nature making them ideal pets for maintaining in an aviary. The shaft tail finch can be raised in captivity.

However, they need an aviary rather than a small cage. Also, these birds cannot thrive in damp conditions.

To ensure longevity, other small birds must not be maintained together with a pair as they might portray aggressiveness towards them during the breeding period. While confined in an aviary, the birds wouldn't have access to any nesting material, so nest boxes must be constructed. The nesting space must be placed at a higher elevation within the enclosure.

Additionally, they must have access to abundant food (including sprouted seed, millets, canary seed), proper nesting sites, and the required temperature. The approximate cost of a pair of Heck's grassfinch usually comes in the range of $80 to $120.

Did you know...

Did you know that only male birds engage in singing? The song serves as identification to their counterparts. Distance calls are also produced by these birds to remain in contact. A male's song before copulation sounds like 'tu-tu-tu-tu-tu wóó-wáh-wéééé.'

Finches lay only one egg a day with two or more broods annually. The older siblings help the parents to bring up the second brood.

How many types of Finch are there?

The Fringillidae family consists of 230 distinct finch species that have been further classified into three subfamilies and 50 genera. Among all the finch species, 17 North American varieties have been recorded, while in the UK, 15 species have been rendered identification.

For instance, the purple finch possesses pinkish-red underparts that define its personality, while the house finch resembles the house sparrow. The chaffinch is known for its delightful 'pink pink' sounds.

Why is it called a Long-tailed Finch?

The most prominent feature of the shaft-tail finch is the pointed long tail. The elongated black-colored tail with white undertail coverts has rendered a unique identification and name to the bird.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these saffron finch facts and strawberry finch facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bird coloring pages.