Photo: Jim Bendon from Karratha, Australia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Painted Finch
Emblema pictum
Painted Finch (Emblema pictum) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Painted Finch (Emblema pictum) is a member of the Estrildidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 10.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Estrildidae Waxbills, Munias & Allies
- Genus Emblema
- Species pictum
Where it lives
Northern, central WA to western QLD and northeastern SA (northwestern, north-central Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 10.4 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Painted Finch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of arid, desert country, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Painted Finch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Painted Finch (Emblema pictum) belongs to the Estrildidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU n, c WA to w QLD and ne SA (nw, nc Australia).
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 10.4 g, with a wing length of about 5.7 cm and a tail of around 3.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Painted Finch?
The Painted Finch is a very small bird that weighs around 10.4 g.
Where does the Painted Finch live?
The Painted Finch is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU n, c WA to w QLD and ne SA (nw, nc Australia), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Painted Finch belong to?
The Painted Finch (Emblema pictum) belongs to the Estrildidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Painted Finch eat?
The Painted Finch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Painted Finch migrate?
The Painted Finch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Painted Finch endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Painted Finch make?
1 real field recording of the Painted Finch — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Painted Finch's range?
The Painted Finch has a mapped global range of about 1.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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