Red Browed Finch
The bright scarlet bill, eyebrow and rump makes it easy to identify this little bird which is found only down the east coast of Australia and into coastal South Australia. The Juveniles bill is black and it lacks the eyebrow but has a scarlet rump like the adults. They are only 11-11.5cm in size. Similar species is the beautiful Red-eared Firetails which I haven't photographed yet as they are only in a small area in southern Western Australia. Their habitat is grassy clearings in forests, woodlands, coastal scrubs and heaths, mangroves, cane-fields, crops, roadsides, blackberries, lantana, golf courses, orchards, parks and gardens.
The red-browed finch is highly sociable, and is usually seen in small flocks of 10 to 20 individuals. Flocks prefer semi-open woodland, especially edges of forests, where bushy scrub meets cleared areas, especially near creeks.
They breed from Sept-Jan. Their nests are bottle-shaped, untidy of grass and lined with plant down, feathers and or fur. Nesting is communal. Both parents share nest building, incubation of the eggs, and feed the young together. Four to six eggs are laid per clutch two or three times per year. Juveniles are fully independent within 28 days
Dedicated to all the Australian Fauna and Flora lost in the 2019/2020 bush fires