Long-tailed Finch - Behaviour

Behaviour

The Long Tailed Finch inhabits open woodland across northern Australia, from Derby east to the Leichhardt River in northern Queensland.

Male Long Tailed Finches approach unfamiliar members of the species and engage in a courtship display, holding themselves in an upright posture and singing, before attempting to mate with the newcomer. Male newcomers will sometimes not declare their sex when confronted by a group of birds. The authors of the study propose this is a survival mechanism to reduce harassment, increase chances of acceptance into the group and hence chances of future reproduction.

The species breeds in natural hollows. Pairs share feeding responsibilities, and there has been one report of birds from older broods helping their parents raise the following brood, the first time that cooperative breeding has been recorded in an Australian estrildid finch. The clutch consists of four to six dull white oval eggs measuring 17 x 12 mm. The incubation period is 13 to 17 days.