Double-Barred Finch
Another little Aussie gem is the Double-Barred Finch which is a tiny 10-11cm in size. It is also known as the Banded or Black-ringed Finch. It has 2 distintive thin black bars across its lower white throat and chest, the rump is also white and the tail is black. It is seed foraging in pairs or flocks. Similar species are Banded Whiteface, and White-fronted Chat. I have only spotted this little charfmer a couple of time, first time was onnour road trip to Dubbo in September 2019 where I captured him (see Featured Photo) and at Petrie near the river just recently but it didn't hang around for very long at either of these places. I am interested in capturing more of them on my future day and longer photography trips.
They like most of the finch family only eat seed found in vegetation on a great range of habitats where they are usually resident and do not migrate, places like watercourses, near water in grassy scrubland and woodlands, farmland, crops, canefields, roadsides, golf courses, plantations, parks and gardens. They breed from July-Dec and their nest is a scruffy bottle shaped of dry grass lined with plant down and feathers. The female will lay 4-5 eggs per clutch
The Double-Barred Finch is only found in northern Australia and eastern Australia however Finches have a near-global distribution. There are two subspecies of the Double-Barred Finch in Australia the Stizoptera bichenovii bichenovii of eastern Australia and the Stizoptera bichenovii annulosa of northern and northwestern Australia
Dedicated to all the Australian Fauna and Flora lost in the 2019/2020 bush fires