Star Finch

1. Olive-green to yellow-green body with white spots on the breast and flanks.

2. Bright red face mask from forehead to throat, more pronounced in males.

3. Orange-red bill and eyes.

These finches are social, usually seen in groups of up to 30, and sometimes in larger flocks outside the breeding season. Their diet consists mainly of grass seeds, which they collect from seed heads or the ground, and they may also eat insects. Breeding occurs during or before the wet season, with nests built in low shrubs or tall grass. Both parents care for the young, which hatch from 3–7 eggs after about two weeks. Star Finch populations have declined due to habitat loss, overgrazing, and the cage-bird trade, making them a conservation concern in parts of their range.

Star Finches are found in northern and central Queensland and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. They inhabit damp grasslands, sedgelands, and areas near watercourses, swamps, and wetlands. They are often seen in small flocks in tall grasses and reeds, especially near water, and may occasionally visit parks and gardens in some towns.

The Star Finch was once found from the Kimberley across northern Australia to eastern Queensland and northern New South Wales. The eastern population is now critically endangered, with very few individuals remaining in the wild. The scientific name, *Bathilda ruficauda*, refers to the bird’s red tail (“rufus” meaning red, “cauda” meaning tail). The decline of this species highlights the importance of grassland conservation in Australia.