Archive 2012
Archive 2011
Diamond Firetail at Blue Mountains Private Safaris
The Diamond Firetail is a stunningly coloured finch with a fiery red bill, red circles around the eyes, and a splash of red on their rump. Just under the throat they have a thick black band that extends down to their wings which are also black with white speckles. There is also a black strip that starts at the beak and ends right at the eye.
The male Diamond Firetail's song is almost like a raspy, low-key mating call. He will hold a piece of dried grass in his mouth, hold his head back while puffing his feathers out, and hop up and down while singing to her. When the female approaches, he will then twist his neck around and open his bill, just like a chick begging for food.
In the wild, Diamond Firetails primarily eat ripe fruits and their seeds. They also eat some some insects and their larvae. They feed on the ground and can be seen hopping around through grasslands searching for food.
This is a photo of a gorgeous Diamond Firetail snapped by guests while on tour with our guide at the Blue Mountains Private Safaris last weekend.