Diamond Firetail

1. Black breast band and flanks with white spots

2. Bright red rump visible in flight

3. Red bill and eye ring contrasting with grey head and white underparts

Diamond Firetails mainly eat grass and herb seeds, occasionally supplementing their diet with insects. They build domed nests with long entrance tunnels in dense shrubs or sometimes at the base of large raptor nests for protection. Both parents share incubation and care of the young. Breeding usually occurs from August to January, with one clutch per season. Major threats include habitat loss from land clearing, overgrazing, invasive weeds, and increased nest predation by native birds such as Pied Currawongs.

Diamond Firetails inhabit open grassy woodlands, heath, and farmlands with scattered trees throughout southeastern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, and eastern South Australia. They prefer areas with a mix of trees and open ground for foraging. These birds are mostly sedentary, often seen in pairs or small groups, and are known for their ground-hopping as they search for seeds. Their call is a soft, double whistle, often given from an exposed perch.