Long-tailed Finch
Poephila acuticauda
Also called Shaft-tail Finch, Shafttail, Long-tailed Grassfinch, Blackheart Finch, Heck's Grassfinch
From Northern Australia, from the Kimberley in Western Australia across the Northern Territory to the Gulf of Carpentaria and western north Queensland. Birds in the west have yellow bills, while the eastern race (P. a. hecki) has red bills, with orange-billed birds where the two meet.12
A friendly guide, not veterinary advice. For anything about your pet's health, ask your vet.
At a glance the quick version
Roughly 11-18 g; figures from wild-bird measurements.
Looks how to spot one
Feathered; slim grassfinch with a long, wire-tipped black tail
An elegant, sleek finch with a soft grey head, a warm pinkish-brown body, a white rump and a neat round black bib under the chin. The black tail ends in two long, fine central feathers that give the bird its name. The bill is yellow, orange or red depending on where the bloodline comes from, and the legs are orange.12
Personality what they are like
A busy, inquisitive and rather comical little bird that bobs its head as it lands and likes to preen its flock mates. It is generally peaceful, but confident males can be pushy towards shy species, so they pair best with other finches of similar spirit.1
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Very active fliers that need room to exercise. A flight of at least about 1 metre in length is advised, and an aviary suits them better than a small cage.12
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Self-grooming. Keep the enclosure clean and dry and offer a water dish for bathing; the birds scoop up water with the tongue when drinking rather than sipping.1
Home where they are happiest
A dry aviary or large flight with both sunny and shaded spots. Keep them above roughly 10-15 C and provide nest boxes or baskets and plant cover.12
Food basics what goes in the bowl
A finch seed mix based on millets, plus sprouted and half-ripe seed, greens and egg food. Small live food such as mealworms or ant pupae is welcome, especially when raising chicks.1
Company who they like around
Lives in groups all year round and should never be kept alone. A pair or a small flock works well; single pairs usually breed best, and mixed collections should contain equally confident species.1
The story where it all began
John Gould described the species in 1840 from a bird collected at Derby in Western Australia. Keepers first bred the yellow-billed form in 1897 and the red-billed form around 1907, and the species was widely kept in aviaries by the 1930s.2
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Instead of sucking water up like pigeons, this finch scoops it with its tongue.1
- 2
The bill colour tells you where a bird's ancestors come from: yellow in the west, red in the east, orange where they overlap.1
- 3
A 1999 study found males often cannot tell a stranger's sex until it sings or calls.2
- 4
Only the cock sings, which is the most reliable way owners tell the sexes apart.1
- 5
Both parents take turns sitting on the eggs, and pairs can raise three broods in a season.1
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Assessed as Least Concern.2
- Australian export rules
- Australia does not allow export of the species, so birds kept overseas come from long-established captive lines.2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Long-tailed Finch. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Fresh food and waterevery day
- Cage linerevery 2 days
- Full cleanevery week
- Bath offerA shallow dish or gentle mistevery 3 days
- Nails checkevery month
- Toy rotationevery 2 weeks
- Out-of-cage timeAbout an hour a day, if tameevery day
- Vet check-upevery year
Owner questions the things everyone asks
How often should I feed my Long-tailed Finch?
Offer fresh food and water every day. Furry Diary's starting plan suggests daily fresh food and water, and a seed mix with greens and egg food is ideal.1 Furry Diary plan
What does a Long-tailed Finch eat, and what should it never eat?
They eat a finch seed mix based on millets, plus sprouted seed, greens, egg food, and small live food like mealworms. Avoid giving any foods not listed here; ask your vet for a safe list.1
How much space does a Long-tailed Finch need?
They are very active fliers and need a flight of at least 1 metre in length. An aviary suits them better than a small cage.12
What temperature, light or water does a Long-tailed Finch need?
Keep them in a dry aviary with both sunny and shaded spots, above roughly 10-15°C. Offer a water dish for bathing and drinking.12
How often should I clean a Long-tailed Finch's home?
Furry Diary's plan suggests changing the cage liner every 2 days and doing a full clean weekly. Keep the enclosure clean and dry. Furry Diary plan
Can a Long-tailed Finch live with others?
Yes, they live in groups all year and should never be kept alone. A pair or small flock works well, and they pair best with other finches of similar spirit.1
Can I handle a Long-tailed Finch?
Handling is not typical for this species; they are busy fliers and prefer to interact from a distance. If you want to tame one, consult a good breeder for advice.
Written from the sources on this page, a few checked guides (VCA, ASPCA, RSPCA) and Furry Diary's own starting care plan. A friendly guide, not a vet's advice.
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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.
- Shaft-tail or Long-tailed Grassfinch - Poephila acuticauda (FinchInfo) finchinfo.comused for names, range, colours, mutations, temperament, housing, diet, social needs, facts, lifespan
- Long-tailed finch - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for range, size, weight, subspecies, history, aviculture, IUCN status, lifespan, facts
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Feeding times and frequency for your dog vcahospitals.comused for owner questions
- ASPCA: Dog grooming tips aspca.orgused for owner questions
- ASPCA: Cat grooming tips aspca.orgused for owner questions
- ASPCA: People foods to avoid feeding your pets aspca.orgused for owner questions
- RSPCA: What to feed your rabbit rspca.org.ukused for owner questions
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.