Furry Diary

Cut-throat Finch

Amadina fasciata

Also called Cutthroat Finch, Ribbon Finch, Ribbon Weaver, Cut-throat Weaver, Bearded Finch

SpeciesShort profile

From Dry savanna across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Gambia through the Sahel to Somalia and south into eastern South Africa.12

At a glance the quick version

Length12.7 cm1
Lifespan8 to 10 years31
Sizesmall
Easy to sex at a glance thanks to the male's red 'ribbon'
Undemanding and hardy in aviary life
Lively and fun to watch
13

Looks how to spot one

Feathered; stocky finch with a thick pale bill

A chunky, sandy-brown bird finely flecked with black all over, with pale cheeks and a chestnut patch on the belly. Cocks wear a bright red band right across the throat, which gives the species its dramatic name; hens do not have it, even as youngsters.12

ColoursNormal (sandy brown with red throat band in males)IsabelWhite / inoYellow-throated13

Personality what they are like

Calm and undemanding most of the time, but confident and assertive, especially when breeding. They are best kept with other robust finches rather than small, timid species.13

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Needs plenty of flying space; a roomy aviary with horizontal perches keeps them moving and fit.1

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Self-grooming; they enjoy dust bathing as well as water.1

Home where they are happiest

A large, lightly stocked, well-planted aviary with hiding places. They will happily take over nest boxes or other birds' nests.132

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A seed base of grass seeds and millets, plus sprouted seed, leafy greens such as kale or endive, some fruit, egg food and live food like mealworms or crickets.13

Company who they like around

Forms strong pair bonds and lives in pairs or flocks outside the breeding season. Keep as pairs or a colony with plenty of space, and away from Aberdeen (red-headed) finches, with which they can cross.13

The story where it all began

Johann Friedrich Gmelin described the cut-throat finch in 1789, first putting it in the genus Loxia. William Swainson moved it to Amadina in 1827, where it sits with its close relative the red-headed finch.2

Fun facts for the dinner table

  1. 1

    In the wild it usually moves into nests built by other birds rather than making its own.2

  2. 2

    It has been seen stealing nesting material from weaver birds.1

  3. 3

    Young males already show the red throat band, so chicks can be sexed early.1

  4. 4

    It likes to take dust baths as well as water baths.1

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List
Assessed as Least Concern.2

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Cut-throat Finch. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

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Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.

  1. Cut-throat Finch - Amadina fasciata (FinchInfo) finchinfo.comused for names, range, size, weight, lifespan, sexing, mutations, temperament, housing, diet, social needs
  2. Cut-throat finch - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for range, description, nesting, history, status
  3. Cut-throat Finch - Aviculture Hub aviculturehub.com.auused for lifespan, mutations, housing, diet, social needs

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.