Difference between revisions of "Masked Finch" - BirdForum Opus

Latest revision as of 18:59, 31 May 2023

ssp personata
Photo © by peterday
Holmes Jungle, Darwin, Queensland, June 2015

ssp leucotis
Photo © by peterday
Cumberland Dam, Georgetown, Queensland, July 2021

Poephila personata

Identification

12-13.5cm (4½ - 5½ in)

Adult

Heavy yellow bill
Black mask, chin, tail, band on flanks
Buff breast
White rump
Red legs
Subspecies personata has buff ear coverts and lower flanks
Subspecies leucotis has white ear coverts and lower flanks

Immature

Black bill
Duller

Distribution

Northern Australia from Cape York to Kimberley, WA

Taxonomy

Variations

There are 2 subspecies^[1]

P.p.personata is found in Northern Territory west to Kimberley, Western Australia
P.p.leucotis is found in Cape York and eastern NT

Habitat

Grassy woodland close to water

Behaviour

Forages on ground in small flocks
Flicks tail frequently
Gathers at water in morning and evening, sometimes in large numbers

Diet

Diet includes fallen grass seeds.

Breeding

A domed nest is built from grasses, lined with fine grass, feathers, and charcoal, in the late wet season or early dry. 5-6 white eggs are laid.

Vocalisation

Long nasal 'tiat', soft 'tet'.

External Links

Search for photos of Masked Finch in the gallery

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-;Poephila personata
+[[Image:Finch, Masked 01e Poephila personata personata AUSTRALIA.jpg|thumb|450px|right|''ssp personata'' <br/ >Photo &copy; by {{user|peterday|peterday}}<br/>Holmes Jungle, Darwin, [[Queensland]], June 2015]]
-[[Image:Masked_Finch.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Mat & Cathy]]
+[[Image:1991 Finch, Masked 02b.jpg|thumb|450px|right|''ssp leucotis'' <br/ >Photo &copy; by {{user|peterday|peterday}}<br/>Cumberland Dam, Georgetown, [[Queensland]], July 2021]]
+;[[:Category:Poephila|Poephila]] personata
 ==Identification==
-Locality: Wyndham, N. Western Australia. Adult with yellow bill, immature with black.
+-13.5cm (4½ - 5½ in)
+====Adult====
+*Heavy yellow bill
-The Masked Finch Poephila personata is a common resident of dry savanna across northern Australia, from the Kimberley, across the Top End, the Gulf country and the southern part of Cape York Peninsula, as far east as Chillagoe, but always near water.
+*Black mask, chin, tail, band on flanks
+*Buff breast
-Pairs or small flocks forage through the day, mostly on the ground for fallen grass seeds. In the evenings and early mornings, large numbers—sometimes thousands— can gather around waterholes to drink, bathe, and preen, flicking their tails sideways and chattering incessantly.
+*White rump
+*Red legs
-Sexes are similar. Pairs build a domed nest from grasses, lined with fine grass, feathers, and charcoal, in the late wet season or early dry. The nest position varies: it can be as high as 20 metres or simply hidden in long grass. Five to six white eggs are laid.
+*Subspecies ''personata'' has buff ear coverts and lower flanks
+*Subspecies ''leucotis'' has white ear coverts and lower flanks
+====Immature====
+*Black bill
+*Duller
+==Distribution==
+Northern [[Australia]] from Cape York to Kimberley, WA
+==Taxonomy==
+====Variations====
+There are 2 subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>
+*''P.p.personata'' is found in Northern Territory west to Kimberley, Western Australia
+*''P.p.leucotis'' is found in Cape York and eastern NT
+==Habitat==
+Grassy woodland close to water
+==Behaviour==
+*Forages on ground in small flocks
+*Flicks tail frequently
+*Gathers at water in morning and evening, sometimes in large numbers
+====Diet====
+Diet includes fallen grass seeds.
+====Breeding====
+A domed nest is built from grasses, lined with fine grass, feathers, and charcoal, in the late wet season or early dry. 5-6 white eggs are laid.
+====Vocalisation====
+Long nasal 'tiat', soft 'tet'.
 ==External Links==
+{{GSearch|"Poephila personata" {{!}} "Masked Finch"}}
+{{GS-checked}}1
+<br />
+<br />
-[[Category:Birds]]
+[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Taeniopygia]]