Painted finch
| Painted finch | |
|---|---|
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| Male in Western Australia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Estrildidae |
| Genus: |
Emblema Gould, 1842 |
| Species: | E. pictum |
| Binomial name | |
|
Emblema pictum Gould, 1842 |
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| Painted finch distribution | |
The painted finch (Emblema pictum) is a common species of estrildid finch found in Australia. The painted finch acquired its name due to the red and white spotted and mottled underparts of both males and females. The Latin name (Emblema pictum) comes from emblema meaning mosaic or inlaid work; and pictum was derived from the Latin work pictus, meaning painted (from pingere, to paint). Other names include Emblema finch, Mountain finch, Painted firetail and Emblema. The painted finch is a popular bird to be kept in captivity and in backyard aviaries.
The painted finch belongs to the family Estrildidae which consists of small passerine birds that occur naturally in the old world including Africa, southern Asia and Australasia. There are approximately 124 species of estrildid finches within 30 different genera. There has been two major radiations within this family, one occurring in Africa and one in Australia. The family Estrildidae is believed to have originated in India which then later dispersed to these two continents.
The painted finch is within the genus Emblema which early studies placed four species inside of. More recent research has since determined that this genus did not form a natural assemblage and three of the four species were segregated into the genus Stagonopleura. The species include S. bella (Beautiful firetail), S. oculata (Red-eared firetail) and S. guttata (Diamond firetail). The painted finch is now the only species present within the genus Emblema.
The painted finch is a small passerine that is 10-12 cm in length and weighs around 11.5 g. Male painted finches have a red forehead and face that stand out in contrast to the black breast of individuals. A bright red patch in the middle of the breast is present, while the sides of the breast, belly and flanks are black with white spots. The tail and upper body and upper wing are a reddish-brown colour. The rump and uppertail coverts are also mostly red and highly conspicuous when the birds is in flight. Painted finches have a long, slender and pointed bill which in the male the upper mandible is mostly black with a red tip and the lower mandible is mostly red with light blue-grey patches on either side of the base. The Iris of males is a cream or off-white colour and the legs of males vary between a dark brown to pinkish colour.
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Wikipedia