Masked Finch
A species of Black-throated Finches Scientific name : Poephila personata Genus : Black-throated Finches
Masked Finch, A species of Black-throated Finches
Botanical name: Poephila personata
Genus: Black-throated Finches
Content
Description General Info
Description
The masked finch is 12.5–13.5 cm long. The male is larger, but the sexes are otherwise similar. It is cinnamon-brown above and paler below with a white rump, black mark on the flanks and black face mask. It has a heavy yellow bill and a pointed black tail. The eastern subspecies P. p. leucotis has whitish cheeks.
Size
13 cm
Feeding Habits
Masked Finch's primary diet includes grass seeds, particularly from Sorghum, and various invertebrates, the latter mainly during breeding. Nestlings are fed half-ripe seeds and insects. Masked Finch forages on the ground, and in wet seasons, directly from seedheads. They form flocks, often mingling with similar species, and adjust feeding group size according to conditions.
Habitat
The masked Finch typically resides in open woodlands that provide an ample cover of small scrub and grass. They favor habitats on open grassy plains dotted with sporadic bushes, preferring environments that balance open areas with shrubby cover.
Dite type
Granivorous
General Info
Behavior
Pairs or small flocks of masked finches forage through the day, mostly on the ground for fallen grass seeds. In the evenings and early mornings, large numbers—sometimes thousands— can gather around waterholes to drink, bathe, and preen, flicking their tails sideways and chattering incessantly. Pairs build a domed nest from grasses, lined with fine grass, feathers, and charcoal, in the late wet or early dry season. The nest position varies: it can be as high as 20 metres or simply hidden in long grass. Five to six white eggs are laid.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Estrildid finches Genus
Black-throated Finches Species
Masked Finch