Diamond Firetail Finches
Australian Finches would have to be on many people’s lists of beautiful birds. Some, like the Gouldian Finch of northern Australia, are simply stunning. It is no wonder that they are highly popular with aviculturalists.
Diamond Firetail
One of the local finches here in Murray Bridge South Australia is the very beautiful Diamond Firetail (Stagonopleura guttata). It is slighly smaller than the common House Sparrow found in many of our parks and gardens. The Diamond Firetail is widely spread in this district but is not common anywhere. According to the New Atlas of Australian Birds its distribution covers most of south eastern Australia south of a line from Port Augusta to Brisbane. It is not found in Tasmania. (To view map click here)
Description
The Diamond Firetail is a small bird some 12-13cm in size. It has a bright, unmistakable red beak and red rump with a black tail. Its throat and breast is white with a black band across it. The white spotted black flanks give it the appearance of diamonds studded along its sides.
Diamond Firetail Finch
Local occurances
I have observed this beautiful species in a number of localities near my home. The best sightings have been in our own garden where it is in infrequent visitor. On several occasions it has delighted us in visiting our bird bath. Every time it has been such a brief visit. Its next visit must come soon - it hasn’t been since I bought my new camera. I’d love to get a close up photo of its stunning colours. [UPDATE: the photos on this page were added in March 2007]
An unusual sighting of this species was recorded recently near Callington (about 20km west of here). A large flock of over 35 was reported on Birdpedia. I have usually only seen them in ones or twos.
Diamond Firetail Finch
Blog Entries
September 25th, 2006 at 5:16 pm
Hello,I saw you at the Murray bridge bird club. I live in Callington. 2 Weekends ago my fiance’ and i were letting go a blue tounge lizzard at Monarto & we drove down the road that goes past the Callington Hill tower & thru onto the dead end road.We spotted 2 male Diamond Firetails flitting around some low shrubs & on the ground in the Monarto Scrubland. I had my binoculars in the car so we watched them for about 10 minutes. They are exquisite little birds.
September 26th, 2006 at 7:46 pm
Hi there Michelle. I remember talking to you. Diamond Firetails have to be one of the most beautiful birds of this district. We get so excited when one comes to drink at our bird bath - it doesnt happen very often so it is a thrill to see one or more in our garden.
Were you trying to relocate the Blue Tongue Lizard? They are like homing pigeons. My brother’s neighbour on a farm near Loxton had one eating his strawberries. He took it out in the paddock and released it but it came back. He then put a paint spot on its back and took it several kilometres away. It returned to the strawberries a few days later!
March 13th, 2007 at 12:10 am
[…] Diamond Firetail Finches - one of our most beautiful birds. […]