2-8-2017 CENTRAL PARK, BUDAPEST - ZEBRA FINCH (Taeniopygia guttata)

The Sunda zebra finch, known scientifically as Taeniopygia guttata, is a charming bird belonging to the family Estrildidae. This species graces the Lesser Sundas with its presence, adding a touch of elegance to the region's avian diversity.

With a time-span of 70 to 80 days from hatching to becoming sexually active, the Zebra Finch is one of the fastest maturing bird species recorded.

Zebra Finches are mainly grey, with characteristic black 'tear drop' eye stripes and 'zebra like' black and white barring on the rump and upper tail. The throat and upper breast are pale grey, with fine black barring, and there is a broad black band on upper chest. The sides of the belly are chestnut with many white spots. The remainder of the belly and the undertail are white. The male is distinguished from the female by its orange chestnut cheek patches, a character that gave the species the alternative name of Chestnut-eared Finch. Both sexes have red eyes and bill. The legs and feet are orange yellow. Young are similar in plumage to the female, except that the clear black and white markings of the head are absent. The eyes are grey-brown and the bill is black.

Zebra Finches are most commonly found in the drier areas of Australia, living year round in social flocks of up to 100 or more birds. They can be found in a variety of habitats, mainly dry wooded grasslands, bordering watercourses.

Zebra Finches are the most common and widespread of Australia's grassfinches, found across the Australian mainland, with the exception of Cape York Peninsula and some coastal areas. They are also found in Timor and the Lesser Sunda Islands.

Only male zebra finches sing. Each finch has an individual song. Between the ages of 25 and 90 days old, young zebra finches learn to sing by copying the songs of adults, and sometimes by copying the songs of other juveniles.

The Sunda zebra finch is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating a stable population without immediate threats to its survival.

In the realm of scientific research, the Sunda zebra finch has proven to be an invaluable model organism. Studies focusing on its immune response to parasites have shed light on the defensive mechanisms of birds as a whole. Remarkably, this species appears to be completely resistant to Plasmodium relictum, the most common malaria parasite found in avians, a discovery that could have significant implications for understanding disease resistance in birds.