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Painted Finch (Emblema pictum)

The Painted Finch is a small, slender Australian grass-finch of arid and semi-arid inland areas. On works sites, rocky ranges, gorges, creek lines, spinifex, native grass and nearby water may support feeding or drinking birds, particularly after rain. It is profiled as an EVNT species, is listed as Rare in South Australia, and has a near threatened equivalent listing in Western Australia as Priority 4; additional state protection may apply, including protection of breeding places in Queensland.

Conservation status

South Australia, National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972: Rare.

Breeding season

The Painted Finch has no fixed month-specific breeding season recorded for Australia. Breeding is associated with rainfall and increased food availability, so activity may occur in any month and can vary between inland regions and years. In South Australia, the species is listed as Rare.

Breeding mode: Pairs share incubation and feed the chicks.

Clutch size: 3 to 5 eggs.

Incubation: Not recorded.

Fledging: Not recorded.

Age at maturity: Not recorded. Juveniles begin moulting from juvenile plumage at about 7 weeks and attain adult plumage by 12 to 16 weeks.

Nest sites: Tree hollows or abandoned tree branches.

Breeding frequency and trigger: Breeding typically follows rainfall. Breeding frequency is not recorded.

Rainfall can shift breeding activity between months and regions, so in South Australia the Rare listing warrants targeted pre-clearing checks and retention of suitable habitat, while other areas should use proportionate checks where the species or its habitat is present.

  • Breeding after rainfall: There is no established peak month, so breeding should be treated as possible in any month after useful rainfall.
  • Eggs, nestlings and dependent young: Check suitable nesting trees and nearby feeding habitat whenever recent rainfall has produced fresh grass seed or insect activity.
  • Ground foraging and drinking: Birds may forage on the ground and gather at small rock pools or other reliable water sources throughout the year.
  • Small flocking and local movement: Small flocks are reported particularly outside breeding periods, but no regular seasonal movement pattern is established.
  • Highest clearing risk: Treat clearing risk as year-round, with additional checks after rainfall and around tree hollows, abandoned branches, dense ground cover, gorges, gullies and drinking sites.

Identification: Appearance

The Painted Finch is a small, slender finch with a distinctive red face or eye area and a red rump. It can be inconspicuous on the ground, especially where its plumage blends with dry grass, shrubs and rocky country.

Males have a bright red face and throat, a black bib, olive brown upperparts and a white belly. The underparts are blackish, with white-spotted flanks, and the cherry red rump is conspicuous in flight.

Females are duller overall and have red around the eye rather than the stronger red facial colour of males. Juveniles begin moulting from juvenile plumage at about 7 weeks and reach adult plumage at about 12 to 16 weeks.

Identification: Calls and flight

The Painted Finch is generally less vocal than some other Australian grass-finches, but its call can be loud and harsh. Calls may be detected among the calls of large Zebra Finch groups.

Flight is generally direct and may be higher than the flight of Zebra Finches. Males can make elaborate flight displays during courtship.

Identification: Similar species and field signs

Zebra Finches may occur at the same sites and can make visual detection difficult. Look for the Painted Finch's red rump, red facial markings, black bib in males and white-spotted flanks.

There are no reliable droppings, odour, whitewash or staining features to use as a primary field sign. A nest in a tree hollow or abandoned branch can indicate use, but the nest should not be approached or disturbed.

  • Record the sex, number of birds, flight direction, behaviour and any association with water or seeding grass.
  • Photograph birds from a distance where this can be done without altering their behaviour.

Distribution: Australian range

The Painted Finch occurs across arid and semi-arid inland Australia. Records can be widely separated, and local numbers may change after rainfall, so a site should not be dismissed only because birds have not been recorded there previously.

The broad range extends from western Queensland to the north-western coast, and south to the northern Flinders Ranges in South Australia.

In South Australia, the species is well known from the north-west, including the Musgrave and Everard Ranges. Records have increased south and east towards the northern Flinders Ranges, with occasional breeding records in that region.

In New South Wales, records are concentrated in the far west and include the Broken Hill, Sturt National Park, Menindee and Yanco Creek areas. The species has also been recorded in western Victoria and is mapped in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Distribution: Records in Queensland and southern areas

The range reaches western Queensland, although records in south-western Queensland have been sparse. Birds have also been recorded in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria beyond the more consistently occupied inland areas.

The species can occur on sandy plains as well as in rocky country. This is relevant when assessing linear infrastructure, access tracks and temporary work areas between ranges and water sources.

Distribution: Site assessment

Treat records as potentially mobile rather than assuming that an absence from one survey means local absence. Check recent records, rainfall conditions, nearby water and the availability of seed-bearing native grasses.

The species is mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. Overseas range is not recognised.

Habitat: Landforms and vegetation

Look for the Painted Finch in dry inland landscapes with native grass, spinifex, shrubs and access to water. Rocky ranges and associated drainage features are especially relevant, but records also occur on sandy or loamy plains.

Preferred settings include rocky ranges, gorges, gullies and dry creek beds. Spinifex, including Triodia grassland or spinifex beneath woodland, is a recurring habitat feature.

Associated plants may include wattles, including Acacia species, cassias, including Senna species, emu-bushes, chenopods, native grasses and forbs.

Potential habitat can also occur on sandplains, sand dunes, gravel plains and low hills. Do not restrict searches to rocky terrain.

Habitat: Water and surrounding cover

Small rock pools and other waterholes in gorges and gullies can attract birds during the day. Birds may fly in from surrounding country to drink.

At sites with water, inspect nearby grass, shrub bases, drainage lines, gully margins and open ground. Retain links between drinking places and adjacent feeding or sheltering habitat where practicable.

Habitat: Works site checks

  • Map rocky outcrops, gorges, gullies, creek lines, waterholes, spinifex patches and native grass areas before clearing.
  • Check both the immediate disturbance footprint and nearby habitat that may be affected by noise, dust, lighting, altered drainage or loss of access to water.
  • Give particular attention to sites with seeding grasses after rainfall and to areas where small finch flocks are present.

Foraging habitat: Feeding places

The Painted Finch forages mainly on the ground. It feeds on grass seed and other small seeds, and may take insects when breeding, so ground cover and seed-producing plants are important site features.

Search open ground beneath or beside native grasses, spinifex, chenopods and low shrubs. Suitable feeding areas may occur on gravel or loamy plains, in drainage lines, around gorges and on the edges of woodland.

At some inland sites, birds have used areas with annual and perennial chenopods, grasses and forbs, scattered Belah, Mulga, emu-bush and cassia.

Foraging habitat: Food resources

Grass seed availability is likely to increase after rain. Insects may be particularly relevant around breeding activity and when adults are feeding young.

Avoid assuming that short or lightly grazed ground has no value. Open ground with scattered native plants can provide feeding habitat, especially where seed remains available.

Foraging habitat: Practical controls

  • Avoid unnecessary removal of native grasses, spinifex, chenopods and low seed-bearing shrubs.
  • Limit driving across feeding areas and keep machinery, spoil and stored materials out of drainage lines and native grass patches where possible.
  • Inspect vegetation and open ground ahead of clearing, and stop work if Painted Finches are repeatedly using the area or if a nest is found.

Breeding habitat: Nest sites

Breeding is associated with periods after rainfall, when food becomes more available. The species is poorly known in many parts of its range, so potential breeding habitat should be managed cautiously when adults, juveniles or repeated territorial activity are present.

Painted Finches have been reported nesting in tree hollows or abandoned tree branches. Retain trees with hollows, dead limbs and suitable branch cavities within and beside the work area where possible.

Do not cut, fell, burn or relocate a tree that may contain a nest until it has been inspected and the required approvals and controls are in place.

Breeding habitat: Breeding indicators

Watch for adults carrying nesting material, repeated visits to a cavity or branch, courtship flights, adults entering vegetation or hollows, and adults carrying food.

Juveniles may be present after breeding. A juvenile record should prompt a check for nearby nesting habitat and continued protection of the surrounding area.

Breeding habitat: Site management

  • Schedule vegetation removal outside periods of active breeding where this can be achieved, while recognising that breeding may follow rainfall and is not confined to one fixed month across the range.
  • Use a fauna spotter catcher to inspect potential nest trees and dense vegetation before clearing.
  • If an active nest or dependent young is found, establish a site-specific no-disturbance area and obtain ecological and regulatory advice before work resumes.

Sheltering habitat: Trees and woody cover

Known shelter and nest features include tree hollows and abandoned tree branches, but other roosting sites are poorly documented. In dry country, birds may also depend on dense low vegetation, gully cover and habitat close to water for refuge during the day.

Retain hollow-bearing trees, dead limbs, abandoned branches and mature trees near gullies, creek lines and waterholes. These features may provide nesting or shelter even when no bird is visible during the inspection.

Dense shrubs and climbing grasses around shrub bases can provide cover in otherwise open country. Avoid clearing this cover unnecessarily.

Sheltering habitat: Rocky and drainage features

Inspect gorges, gullies, dry creek beds, rock pools and sheltered drainage lines. These areas can combine water, cover and nearby feeding habitat.

Keep access routes, lighting and noisy activities away from sheltered gully habitat where practicable, particularly when birds are using nearby water.

Sheltering habitat: Disturbance controls

  • Do not block access to small waterholes or isolate them from surrounding vegetation without ecological review.
  • Keep spoil, sediment, rubbish and chemical storage away from hollows, drainage lines and water points.
  • Use pre-clearance inspections and stop work procedures where birds show repeated use of a shelter, tree cavity or gully.

Threats: Clearing and fragmentation

The main documented pressures are habitat loss and changed fire regimes. On construction and clearing sites, direct removal of feeding, nesting and shelter habitat can combine with disturbance around scarce water and food resources.

Clearing rocky ranges, gorges, creek lines, native grass, spinifex and seed-bearing shrubs can remove several habitat functions at once.

Linear projects can fragment movement routes between feeding areas, shelter and water. Keep disturbance footprints narrow and retain connected native vegetation where possible.

Threats: Fire and vegetation change

Changed fire regimes can reduce suitable grass, spinifex and shrub structure, or alter the timing and availability of seed.

Plan burns and other vegetation treatments around the habitat needs of the site. Avoid broad or intense fire in areas with active use, hollow-bearing trees, dense gully cover or scarce water.

Threats: Water, dust and construction disturbance

Water points may attract birds from surrounding areas. Dewatering, sedimentation, contamination, night lighting and repeated vehicle movements can reduce the value of these locations.

Protect small rock pools, waterholes and drainage lines from sediment, fuel, concrete washout and chemical contamination. Maintain clean access to drinking places.

Threats: Status and compliance

The Painted Finch is profiled as an EVNT species. It is listed as Rare in South Australia, and Western Australia's Priority 4 category is the near threatened equivalent for this species profile.

In Queensland, near threatened animals are protected wildlife, and interference with a breeding place may require a species management program. Confirm the current state or territory requirements before clearing, particularly where a nest, hollow or dependent young is present.

  • Use targeted checks where suitable habitat is present, not only where historical records exist.
  • Scale management to the risk. Avoid habitat loss first, retain water and breeding features, and obtain specialist advice when active breeding or repeated site use is detected.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Painted Finches are small, mobile birds of arid and semi-arid inland areas. They can be overlooked in open country, so combine habitat assessment, quiet searches and observations at water sources.

Map rocky ranges, gorges, gullies, dry creek beds, spinifex, open chenopod plains and nearby water sources before visiting the site.

Review records from the project area and surrounding inland region. Give particular attention to sites in South Australia where the species is listed as Rare, and to other areas where it is treated as an EVNT species.

  • Mark rock pools, small waterholes, drainage lines and seeding grass areas on project plans.
  • Check whether proposed clearing affects mature wattles, emu-bushes, mulga, belah or other vegetation that may provide cover or nesting opportunities.
  • Identify areas that can be retained as habitat and access routes that avoid gorges, gullies and water points.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Search during the first three hours after dawn or the last three hours before dusk, when birds are more likely to move and drink. Repeat searches after rainfall when grass seed and other food become available.

Use quiet, slow searches through suitable habitat. Watch water points, rock pools, drainage lines, seeding grasses, shrub bases and the edges of spinifex or woodland.

Listen for harsh calls and watch for direct, relatively high flight. The red rump can be conspicuous in flight, while males have a bright red face and females show red around the eye.

  • Conduct set-time area searches in representative habitat. A 20-minute search of a 2 ha area has been used in regional bird surveys and can be adapted to the site and approval conditions.
  • Use several search locations where habitat is patchy. Include both likely drinking sites and nearby cover.
  • Use binoculars where possible and avoid flushing birds repeatedly from water or shelter.

Survey methodology: 3. Survey conditions and effort

Avoid relying on a single visit, especially where the site contains temporary water or has recently received rain. The species can occur in small flocks and may move into an area during inland irruptions.

Increase repeat visits when suitable habitat is extensive, records are nearby, or proposed clearing affects water sources, gorges, gullies or likely breeding habitat.

  • Record date, start and finish time, weather, recent rainfall, temperature if available, wind, cloud, water availability and the condition of grasses and other food plants.
  • Record the search area, habitat type, observer effort, access limitations and whether the search was systematic or opportunistic.
  • Record every sighting or call, including number of birds, sex or age where known, behaviour, flight direction, association with water, and any nest or breeding behaviour.

Survey methodology: 4. Targeted follow-up

Treat repeated sightings, birds carrying nesting material, courtship displays, adults feeding young and regular movements to water as triggers for further assessment.

Where a likely breeding place or concentrated use area is found, pause planning in that area and obtain advice from the relevant wildlife authority before disturbance.

  • Map the location and photograph habitat from a distance.
  • Search adjoining habitat for additional birds, nests, hollows, abandoned branches and shelter sites without entering sensitive areas unnecessarily.
  • Have a suitably experienced ecologist assess whether the observation represents an active breeding place, a roost or a regularly used water resource.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Desktop approvals and permits

Plan the work around habitat retention and legal responsibilities. Painted Finch sites are poorly documented, so a conservative approach is appropriate where suitable habitat or birds are found.

Confirm the species status in each project jurisdiction before work starts. In South Australia, treat the species as Rare. In Western Australia, check the relevant DBCA advice for its Priority 4 status. Apply EVNT project procedures where the species is identified as an EVNT species.

Assess whether the action may be a controlled action under the EPBC Act and seek referral advice where required. Do not assume that a state approval removes the need for EPBC assessment.

  • Obtain all required state fauna permits, scientific licences and clearing approvals before survey, capture or relocation work.
  • In Queensland, obtain or confirm the required species management program where work may tamper with a Painted Finch breeding place.
  • Confirm conditions with the relevant state environment department and include them in the construction environmental management plan.
  • Nominate the approval holder, ecologist and fauna spotter catcher responsible for decisions on site.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Pre-clearance survey and work limits

Complete a pre-clearance survey shortly before disturbance. Focus on rocky habitat, gorges, gullies, dry creek lines, spinifex, seeding grasses, shrubs and water points.

Extend the survey beyond the clearing footprint where birds are using nearby habitat for drinking, feeding or shelter.

  • Delineate no-go areas with visible fencing or bunting before machinery arrives.
  • Retain water sources, drainage lines, rocky shelter, mature shrubs, spinifex patches and connected habitat wherever practicable.
  • Mark any nest, active breeding place, concentrated use area or regular flight path on site plans.
  • Brief the project manager and all subcontractors on the marked limits and stop-work process.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Timing and buffers

Breeding often follows rainfall because food becomes more available. Do not schedule clearing immediately after substantial rainfall without checking for breeding activity.

There is no reliable species-wide breeding or migration calendar for project use. Set timing controls from local observations, records and approval conditions rather than assuming the species is absent outside a particular season.

  • Avoid clearing active breeding places and nearby feeding or watering habitat until young have fledged and the relevant authority has approved the action.
  • Set a site-specific buffer around an active breeding place, nest, regular roost or concentrated water source in consultation with the approving authority and ecologist.
  • Keep people, vehicles, lighting and noisy plant away from retained habitat during sensitive works.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Exclusion and induction

Use exclusion fencing to protect retained habitat and any approved buffer. Check fencing each day and after weather events.

Include Painted Finch identification, likely habitat, water-point controls and the stop-work procedure in the crew induction.

  • Tell workers not to chase, capture, feed or handle birds.
  • Require workers to report any bird repeatedly flushed from one location, any nest activity, and any injured animal immediately.
  • Place contact details for the fauna spotter catcher, ecologist and site supervisor at access points and in work vehicles.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence and keep a fauna spotter catcher involved in each stage. Stop work when observations do not match the approved assumptions.

Clear from the edge of the approved footprint towards retained habitat so birds have an opportunity to move into suitable areas. Keep machinery out of exclusion zones.

Use the least disruptive method available around shrubs, drainage lines, rocky shelter, water points and suspected breeding habitat.

  • Complete a final inspection immediately before each clearing stage.
  • Remove temporary materials, spoil and waste that could block drainage or cover water points.
  • Use a fauna spotter catcher with authority to stop work, redirect machinery and require a further inspection.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Breeding places, colonies and roosts

If an active breeding place, group of birds using a concentrated roost, or regular water-point congregation is found, stop work in the affected area.

Do not remove a nest, nest structure, tree, shrub or branch associated with breeding activity unless the action is authorised and the required management measures are in place.

  • Secure the area and prevent workers, vehicles and machinery from entering it.
  • Record the location, habitat, number of birds, behaviour, nest condition and evidence of eggs or young from a safe distance.
  • Contact the project ecologist and approval holder. Obtain direction from the relevant authority where required.
  • Resume work only after the ecologist confirms that the conditions and any buffer or timing controls have been met.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and relocation

Only authorised and appropriately trained personnel may capture or handle a Painted Finch. Avoid capture where the bird can move safely to retained habitat.

Do not relocate a healthy bird simply because it is close to machinery. Use exclusion, staged clearing and temporary work pauses instead.

  • If capture is necessary, use the approved method and minimise holding time, heat exposure and disturbance.
  • Release a relocated bird only at an approved nearby site with suitable cover, food and access to water, and only where permitted.
  • Record the reason for capture, method, condition, location of release, time, personnel and any permit reference.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured or distressed animals

Stop nearby work if an injured or distressed bird is found. Keep people, dogs and vehicles away and reduce noise and handling.

Have the fauna spotter catcher assess the bird and follow the project wildlife rescue procedure.

  • Place the bird in a dark, secure, appropriately ventilated container only if authorised and trained to do so.
  • Do not give food or water unless directed by a wildlife carer or veterinarian.
  • Contact the nominated wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian and arrange prompt transfer.
  • Record the location, apparent cause, condition, photographs where appropriate, action taken and final destination.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Close out each clearing stage with a fauna check and a clear record. Use the results to improve later work stages and future projects.

Inspect the cleared area, exclusion zones and retained habitat after each stage. Look for stranded birds, damaged nests, trapped fauna, blocked drainage and unexpected effects on water points.

Check that no plant, spoil or fencing has entered retained habitat.

  • Complete a final walkover by the fauna spotter catcher or another suitably qualified person.
  • Search around machinery laydown areas, stockpiles, access tracks and temporary water controls.
  • Remove hazards that can be corrected without entering a protected area, and escalate all other issues to the site supervisor and ecologist.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring retained habitat

Monitor retained habitat where birds were recorded, where water sources remain, or where clearing has reduced connected cover. Use the same locations and methods where repeatability is needed.

Pay attention to return visits by small flocks, use of rock pools and changes in grass seed, shrub cover and water availability.

  • Record survey dates, effort, weather, rainfall context, observers, habitat condition, birds detected and any breeding activity.
  • Continue monitoring for the period required by approval conditions or the project environmental management plan.
  • Review monitoring results after rainfall and after major changes to water availability or fire management.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Reporting and records

Maintain a project register for sightings, stop-work events, breeding places, injuries, captures, relocations, permit conditions and corrective actions.

Provide required reports to the approval holder and relevant authorities within the timeframes set by permits, approvals and the management plan.

  • Attach mapped locations, photographs, survey sheets, handling records and correspondence to the project file.
  • Submit significant records to the appropriate state fauna database where required or encouraged.
  • Report any breach of an approval, injury, death, unauthorised handling or disturbance through the project incident system immediately.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every stop-work event and fauna incident before the next clearing stage. Ask whether the survey, exclusion, induction or sequencing needs to change.

Update the site map and method statement when new habitat use or breeding activity is identified.

  • Record the cause, response, outcome and preventive action.
  • Retrain workers where the incident involved failure to recognise habitat, follow exclusion controls or report an animal.
  • Share lessons with the fauna spotter catcher, project manager, ecologist and relevant subcontractors.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Habitat restoration

Rehabilitation should restore the habitat features that Painted Finches use for food, cover, movement and drinking. Focus on locally appropriate plants and water management rather than artificial structures unless a site assessment supports them.

Restore rocky edges, gullies, drainage lines, open grassy areas and shrub cover where these have been disturbed. Use locally sourced seed or tubestock where practicable and suited to the site.

Retain and encourage native grasses, spinifex where naturally present, chenopods, wattles, emu-bushes, cassias, mulga and belah that match the local vegetation community.

  • Scarify compacted soil only where needed and avoid creating erosion paths into gullies or water points.
  • Reconnect retained habitat patches with native ground cover and shrub structure.
  • Keep rehabilitation areas free from vehicle traffic until vegetation is established.
  • Use fire planning that protects recovering habitat and avoids broad loss of mature spinifex or shrub cover.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Water and food resources

Protect natural rock pools, small waterholes and drainage features that attract birds. Manage temporary construction water so it does not become a predator trap, pollution source or disease risk.

Rehabilitation should support natural seed production and insect availability rather than rely on supplementary feeding.

  • Prevent sediment, fuel, concrete washout, chemicals and rubbish from entering water points.
  • Control erosion and maintain natural drainage after construction.
  • Do not install artificial water points without an ecological assessment, an appropriate maintenance plan and approval where required.
  • Remove temporary water containers, open pipes and other hazards when they are no longer needed.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Nesting and shelter structures

Painted Finch nesting information is limited, although nests have been associated with tree hollows and abandoned branches. Retain suitable mature trees, branches and shrubs before considering artificial structures.

Do not install bat boxes, cave structures or generic nest boxes as a substitute for habitat retention. These structures are not automatically suitable for Painted Finches.

  • Use a nest box or artificial nest site only where a qualified ecologist confirms that the design, placement, predator protection and maintenance are appropriate for the local population.
  • Place any approved structure near restored cover and food resources, not in exposed construction areas.
  • Inspect artificial structures under an approved monitoring plan and remove or repair structures that create hazards.
  • Do not disturb occupied nests or structures during inspection.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Weeds, predators and lighting

Control weeds that replace native grasses, chenopods and shrubs, while avoiding broad herbicide use near water or occupied habitat.

Reduce predation and disturbance risks in retained and rehabilitated areas.

  • Use weed hygiene controls on vehicles, machinery and soil before entering rehabilitation areas.
  • Keep domestic animals, rubbish and food waste away from habitat and water points.
  • Direct security and construction lighting away from retained gorges, gullies, water sources and movement corridors.
  • Use low-spill, shielded lighting and switch lights off when they are not needed.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Long-term monitoring

Monitor rehabilitation for plant establishment, weed cover, erosion, water quality and Painted Finch use. The monitoring period should match approval conditions and the time needed for the vegetation community to recover.

Use repeat searches at the same locations and record birds, calls, flock size, water use, breeding behaviour and habitat condition.

  • Compare results with pre-clearance records where available.
  • Repair failed rehabilitation promptly and investigate repeated absence of birds where habitat was expected to recover.
  • Keep monitoring records with the project environmental file and provide required outcomes to the relevant authority.
  • Review fire, grazing, weed and water management when monitoring shows declining habitat condition.

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