Diamond Firetail - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Stagonopleura guttata

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Vulnerable

Gazetted date: 26 Oct 2001

Profile last updated: 25 Feb 2024

Description

The Diamond Firetail is a large (length 10 to 12 cm, weight 17 grams), striking finch with a bright red bill, and red eyes and rump. The white throat and lower breast are separated by a broad black breast-band that extends into the strongly white-spotted, black flanks. It has a grey back and head, and ashy-brown wings. The call is a plaintive, drawn-out, nasal ‘twoo-wheee’. Flight is low and direct, with slight undulations. Given good views it should not be confused with any other species.

Distribution

The Diamond Firetail is endemic to south-eastern Australia, extending from central Queensland to the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. It is widely distributed in NSW, with a concentration of records from the Northern, Central and Southern Tablelands, the Northern, Cental and South Western Slopes and the North West Plains and Riverina. Not commonly found in coastal districts, though there are records from near Sydney, the Hunter Valley and the Bega Valley. This species has a scattered distribution over the rest of NSW, though is very rare west of the Darling River.

Habitat and ecology

Found in grassy eucalypt woodlands, including Box-Gum Woodlands and Snow Gum Eucalyptus pauciflora Woodlands.
Also occurs in open forest, mallee, Natural Temperate Grassland, and in secondary grassland derived from other communities.
Often found in riparian areas (rivers and creeks), and sometimes in lightly wooded farmland.
Feeds exclusively on the ground, on ripe and partly-ripe grass and herb seeds and green leaves, and on insects (especially in the breeding season).
Usually encountered in flocks of between 5 to 40 birds, occasionally more.
Groups separate into small colonies to breed, between August and January.
Nests are globular structures built either in the shrubby understorey, or higher up, especially under hawk's or raven's nests.
Birds roost in dense shrubs or in smaller nests built especially for roosting.
Appears to be sedentary, though some populations move locally, especially those in the south.
Has been recorded in some towns and near farm houses.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Clearing and fragmentation of woodland, open forest, grassland and mallee habitat for agriculture and residential development, and firewood collection.
Poor regeneration of open forest and woodland habitats.
Invasion of weeds, resulting in the loss of important food plants.
Modification and destruction of ground- and shrub layers within habitat through: removal of native plants, litter and fallen timber; introduction of exotic pasture grasses; heavy grazing and compaction by stock; and frequent fire.
Predation of eggs and nestlings by increased populations of native predators such as the Pied Currawong Strepera graculina.
Risk of local extinction due to small, isolated populations.
Aggressive exclusion from forest and woodland habitat by over abundant Noisy Miners.

Recovery strategies

A Saving Our Species conservation project is currently being developed for this species and will be available soon. For information on how you can contribute to this species' recovery, see the Activities to assist this species section below.

Activities to assist this species

Retain dead timber on the ground in open woodland areas.
Reduce heavy grazing by domestic stock in areas of known or potential habitat, to enable flowering and subsequent seeding of grasses and forbs that this species requires.
Control weeds in areas of known habitat, especially the exotic, winter-fruiting shrubs such as cotoneasters, hawthorns, firethorns and privets that support Pied Currawongs.
Retain and protect woodland, open forest, grassland and mallee habitat from clearing, fragmentation and disturbance; areas of 200 hectares or greater within woody vegetation are particularly significant, though this species also uses treeless grasslands in the Southern Tablelands.
Expand and reconnect smaller fragments of habitat, by fencing and encouraging natural regeneration or applying revegetation techniques where regeneration fails.
Ensure remnant populations remain connected or linked to each other; in cases where remnants have lost connective links, re-establish links by revegetating sites to act as stepping stones for dispersal.

Information sources

NSW Scientific Committee (2001) Diamond firetail - Vulnerable species determination - final. DEC (NSW), Sydney.
Read, J.L. (1994) The diet of three species of firetail finches in temperate South Australia. Emu 94: 1-8.
Robinson, D. and Traill, B.J. (1996) Conserving woodland birds in the wheat and sheep belts of southern Australia. RAOU Conservation Statement No. 10. (Birds Australia, Melbourne)
Traill, B.J. and Duncan, S. (2000) Status of birds in the New South Wales Temperate woodlands region. Consultancy report to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (Australian Woodlands Conservancy, Chiltern, Victoria)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Australian Alps	Snowy Mountains	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Liverpool Plains	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Liverpool Range	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Moonie-Barwon Interfluve	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Narrandool	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Northern Basalts	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Northern Outwash	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Pilliga	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Pilliga Outwash	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Talbragar Valley	Known	None
Broken Hill Complex	Barrier Range Outwash	Predicted	None
Broken Hill Complex	Mootwingee Downs	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Barnato Downs	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Boorindal Plains	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Canbelego Downs	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Lachlan Plains	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Nymagee	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Bogan-Macquarie	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Castlereagh-Barwon	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Culgoa-Bokhara	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Louth Plains	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Menindee	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Warrambool-Moonie	Predicted	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Wilcannia Plains	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Cuttaburra-Paroo	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Nebine Plains	Known	None
Mulga Lands	Paroo Overflow	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Paroo-Darling Sands	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	West Warrego	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	White Cliffs Plateau	Known	None
Murray Darling Depression	Darling Depression	Known	None
Murray Darling Depression	South Olary Plain	Known	None
Nandewar	Inverell Basalts	Known	None
Nandewar	Kaputar	Known	None
Nandewar	Nandewar Northern Complex	Known	None
Nandewar	Peel	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Armidale Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Beardy River Hills	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Binghi Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Bundarra Downs	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Deepwater Downs	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Eastern Nandewars	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Ebor Basalts	Predicted	None
New England Tablelands	Glenn Innes-Guyra Basalts	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Moredun Volcanics	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Nightcap	Predicted	None
New England Tablelands	Northeast Forest Lands	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Round Mountain	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Severn River Volcanics	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Stanthorpe Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Tenterfield Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Tingha Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Walcha Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Wongwibinda Plateau	Predicted	None
New England Tablelands	Yarrowyck-Kentucky Downs	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Barrington	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Carrai Plateau	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Cataract	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Chaelundi	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Coffs Coast and Escarpment	Known	West of Five Day Creek locality
NSW North Coast	Comboyne Plateau	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Dalmorton	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Ellerston	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Guy Fawkes	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Karuah Manning	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Gorges	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Hastings	Known	North of Kempsey and west of Skillion Nature Reserve
NSW North Coast	Mummel Escarpment	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Rocky River Gorge	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Tomalla	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Hunter	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Manning	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Washpool	Predicted	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Capertee Valley	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Inland Slopes	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Lower Slopes	Known	None
Ocean	Hawkesbury Shelf	Known	None
Other State	ACT	Known	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
Other State	SA	Known	None
Other State	VIC	Known	None
Riverina	Lachlan	Known	None
Riverina	Murray Fans	Known	None
Riverina	Murrumbidgee	Known	None
Riverina	Robinvale Plains	Predicted	None
South East Corner	Bateman	Known	None
South East Corner	East Gippsland Lowlands	Known	None
South East Corner	South East Coastal Ranges	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bathurst	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bondo	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bungonia	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Capertee Uplands	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Crookwell	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Hill End	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Kybeyan-Gourock	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Monaro	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Murrumbateman	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Oberon	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Orange	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Lowlands	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Sandstones	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Woodenbong	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Burragorang	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Cumberland	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Hunter	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Illawarra	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Kerrabee	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Pittwater	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wollemi	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wyong	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Yengo	Known	None

Sounds

Images

Diamond firetail, male Image 1 of 5.
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