Taxonomy/Origins: This is one of Australia's true desert finch species. It survives in the harsh desert spinifex country and this should be considered when keeping this specie in captivity.
Subspecies: To my knowledge there are no subspecies, just the nominate race.There are however several mutations most involving the coloured area around their chest. The most common mutation is the 'Yellow' in which the red face and chest panel is replaced with yellow.
Plumage Colouration: The general body colour is charcoal to black and heavily spotted with white. The male has a bright red facial area with bright red extending down the chest area. The beak is unlike any other of our Australian species, upper mandible is black and lower is red. The beak shape is not blunt but thin and pointed similar to some softbills. The pointed beak has evolved because the Painted Finch mainly feeds on the tiny Spinifex Grass seeds located in the fine sand and a typical heavier beak would be a hinderance.
The birds are easy to sex; females do not have any red on their face and throat area and have slightly finer white spots. Both sexes can carry red on their chest area
Feeding: I find that a standard seed mix is all that they require, but mine pick around on the aviary floor for hours. They don't seem to eat Mealworms but I have seen them take fly larvea. Green semi-ripe seeding heads are picked at but not eaten with relish like our other grassfinches. They do like charcoal and baked egg shells.
Housing: I keep them in colonies and also in single pairs, both ways produce chicks but I feel that single pairs produce bigger clutches and are more reliable. I keep them in outside aviaries, heat does not worry them at all but lower temperatures nearing freezing are not at all good for their well being. This is seen in Winter when they huddle together waiting for the sun to arrive. When it does they follow the sunny beams until full sunlight is available. If you don't have a very dry sandy floor or section of sand they will suffer and will not breed to their potential. They are a desert bird and should be treated as such. I have never attempted to breed them in a cage but they could do alright. They are not overly active and would rather sit on the sandy floor or fossick in the sand than fly around.
Breeding: The Painted Finch builds a nest like no other finch I know. As I mentioned before they come from the Spinifex country; Spinifex is a grass clump with hundreds of sharp points and when it rains (which also triggers the birds to breed) the grass will grow very rapidly. If a normal nest was built amongst the Spinifex the sharp points would simply go through the nest and destroy eggs or young. To counter this the Painted Finch builds a raft of bark, sticks, stones and charcoal, it then builds a normal round grass nest with a side entrance above. The nest simply rises as the grass grows and the points can't penetrate into the nest chamber. This method is carried on into the aviary even though there is no spinifex grass used in mine. Today they build in the dry brush suspending from the sheltered aviary wall or occasionally in an open tin. Only rarely will they build outside in growing plants. When the young fledge they look like smaller versions of their parents but browner without the familiar traces of red colouring. The clutch size is usually 2 to 4 young and they spend over a week on the floor before deciding to follow their parents. The young have a habit of sitting on the aviary floor just inside the doorway and care must be taken not to tread on them. Young bred early in the season will breed later in the same season if allowed. I don't bother moving young from previous nests, but if the aviary is small you may need to move the young after 3 to 4 weeks to eliminate over crowding as the parents may have their next clutch out.
Hints/tips: Buy young birds and look for the red or white dots under their beak, they must have a dry sandy section of floor where the sun will reach in the early morning. They are not aggressive at all, but can be dominated so watch what else you house with them.
Unique Characteristics: Given the correct conditions they are easy to breed and are generally very reliable breeders. They are easily seen and won't skulk off and hide when you near your aviary.
Extra: They are one of my very favorite Austalian species and I can not think of one vice they have. If you can give them the dry and correct aviary set up they would have to be high on your keep list. If you need anymore data contact me through the Feathered Flyer Message Board (DHolmes) I would be happy to assist.
Feel free to get in touch with any further questions. You can contact me via the FF Forum my username is 'David Holmes'.
