BIRD SPECIES

Zebra Finch 

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Taeniopygia guttata

The Zebra Finch is the most common songbird in Central Australia. It is also the most popular cage bird for more than 100 years.

It is about 3.94 - 4.33 inches in length and weighs around 15 - 30 grams.

Males have a colorful plumage consisting of white, black, gray, orange and brown colors.

Females are uniformly gray.

Both sexes have red eyes and orange bill.

Young birds are similar to females but their eyes are gray-brown and their bill is black.

CALL: Can be a loud "beep", "meep", "oi!" or "a-ha!".

SONG: A few small beeps, leading up to a rhythmic song of varying complexity in males.

Each male's song is different, although birds of the same bloodline will exhibit similarities, and all finches will overlay their own uniqueness onto a common rhythmic framework.

Males begin to sing at puberty, while females lack a singing ability.

Feeds primarily on grass seeds (feeding mostly on semi-ripe and ripe seeds, although it also takes dry seeds).

It supplements its diet with insects (mainly ants and termites) and flowers.

Generally, occur in more arid areas close to water. Within these areas, they are found in grasslands and savannahs with scattered trees and shrubs, and in open or grassy woodlands.

They can also be found in cultivated areas, such as rice fields.

Found in Central Australia and range over most of the continent, avoiding only the cool moist south and some areas of the tropical far north.

They can also be found natively on Timor island.

They build both a roosting and breeding nest.

The roosting nest is a dome-shaped structure with a large entrance on the side and lacks an entrance tunnel.

The breeding nest has a small entrance followed by a tunnel which conceals the contents of the nest, leading to the egg chamber.

The female lays 2 - 8 white or pale grayish blue eggs which are incubated for 14 - 16 days by both parents.

SOURCES:
http://animalia.bio
https://en.wikipedia.org