General Information

The blue faced parrot finch is also known as the Tri-colored Parrotfinch. It is becoming a common bird in Australian aviaries. 

Physical Description

The blue faced parrot finch is one of the biggest parrot finches at 12 cm in length. Although colourful it is difficult to observe, flushing readily from grasses into nearby trees. The bird is generally strongly built. They are primarily green with a mostly yellow abdomen, blue head with blue sides and a red lower rump and upper tail coverts. The eyes and feet are brown and the beak is black. There is a difference between the male and female, and it is sometimes difficult to identify. The blue of the face is more extensive and more lustrous in the male. Females are slightly smaller with rounder heads. In addition, only the male emits the trilling song.

Diet

The blue finch feeds often on the seeds of Guinea Grass and Brachiaria at the forest edges of Australia. They also enjoy fruits, seeds, nuts, and fruit such as dates, oranges and raisins. 

Habitat

The Blue faced Parrot finch originated in Cape York Australia. They live on the edges of rain forests, venturing into the grasslands. Locally, the common species of the finch are found in north-eastern Australia, Indonesia, France, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. The bird has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km. It is found in subtropical/ tropical in both montane and lowland moist forest areas, where it is most often associated with forest edges and disturbed habitat.

Reproduction

The female lays 4-6 eggs and both parents begin incubating after the 4th egg is laid. The eggs hatch after 13 -14 days. The chicks fledge after about 21 days and are independent 14 days later.