Common Name: Heck’s Long-tailed Finch Scientific Name: Poephila acuticauda hecki
LEAST CONCERN Heck’s Long-tailed Finch Distribution: Northern Australia Habitat: Woodland and Savannah Length: 15cm Weight: 17-19g Diet: Omnivorous
The long-tailed finches are native to Australia, and are common in the wild, as well as being popular aviary birds. While they do have strong numbers in the wild it is illegal to trap wild birds for the pet trade. These finches breed between January and May in the wild (though they may breed all year in captivity). Males display to attract a female to mate by singing, hopping and ruffling his black bib. A breeding pair will usually remain together for life, raising between one and three clutches a year. The pair will build a nest and line it with soft materials such as moss feathers and soft grass. The female will lay 5-7 white eggs and both parents will incubate them. After hatching, both parents feed the young until they leave the nest between a month and a month-and-a-half after hatching. Heck’s long-tailed finches are quite calm and curious birds for finches of their size. They roost in large social groups outside the breeding season and are quick and manoeuvrable flyers, able to catch flying insects on the wing. Their diet consists mainly of seeds, with some insects too, particularly during the breeding season.