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Male zebra finch on perch

Zebra finch

Zebra finches are perfectly characterised by their colourful, friendly facades. They are bright, boisterous and gregarious birds with stubby orange beaks, a grey head and a black and white tail. Both sexes have a black and white 'teardrop' beneath the eye; only the males have light chestnut cheeks, a barred throat and spotty chestnut flanks.

They are loud singers exuding chattering trills and calls that have been likened to the noise of a toy trumpet. Their social nature results in cacophonies of song amongst flocks. Zebra finches are common subjects of genetic research and are also widely sought by breeders and as pets.

Did you know?
The zebra finch was the second bird to have its genome sequenced after the chicken.

Scientific name: Taeniopygia guttata

Rank: Species

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Distribution

The Zebra finch can be found in a number of locations including: Asia, Australia. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.

Habitats

The following habitats are found across the Zebra finch distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

Tropical grassland Tropical grassland
Tropical grasslands include the savanna usually associated with Africa, and savanna-type grasslands found in India, Australia, Nepal and the Americas. They are characterised by drought-resistant shrubs and grasses, dotted with trees such as acacias or baobabs.

Behaviours

Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.

Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web

Conservation Status

Least Concern

  1. EX - Extinct
  2. EW
  3. CR - Threatened
  4. EN - Threatened
  5. VU - Threatened
  6. NT
  7. LC - Least concern

Year assessed: 2009

Classified by: IUCN 3.1

About

The Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata (formerly Poephila guttata), is the most common and familiar estrildid finch of Central Australia and ranges over most of the continent, avoiding only the cool moist south and the tropical far north. It also can be found natively in Indonesia and East Timor. The bird has been introduced to Puerto Rico, Portugal, Brazil and the United States.

The ground-dwelling Zebra Finch grows to a size of about 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long and usually eats grass seeds and spray millet. This species' vocalizations consist mostly of chattering trills and calls.

Read more at Wikipedia

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Classification

  1. Life
  2. Animals
  3. Vertebrates
  4. Birds
  5. Perching birds
  6. Estrildidae
  7. Taeniopygia
  8. Zebra finch

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