Birdsong field guide
Red-browed Firetail
Neochmia temporalis
A small, gregarious estrildid finch easily recognized by its distinctive bright red eyebrow, beak, and rump.
What it sounds like
High-pitched, thin, and piercing 'ssseet' or 'tseee-tseee' whistles, often given in flight.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
0:00 / 0:24
Field notes
- Commonly found in social flocks of 10 to 20 individuals, often foraging on the ground for grass seeds.
- Constructs large, bottle-shaped domed nests with side entrances, usually hidden in dense shrubbery.
- Is a frequent host for the brood-parasitic Brush Cuckoo, which mimics the firetail's nesting habits.
- Displays a unique courtship ritual where the male hops with a long piece of grass in his beak to attract a mate.
- Populations have successfully adapted to urban environments, provided there is sufficient dense cover and seeding grass.
Habitat
Grassy woodlands, forest margins, riparian zones, and suburban gardens with thick understory.
Range
Eastern and south-eastern Australia, ranging from Cape York Peninsula to south-east South Australia.
Similar & commonly confused birds
Heard a Red-browed Firetail?
Open Birdsong, tap record, and identify the bird singing near you in seconds — then collect it in your field journal.
Identify a bird by its song