How to Care for Crimson Finches

Written by the Birdsville team. Last updated October 2026.

Crimson finch care comes down to a quality finch seed mix, plenty of live food, a roomy aviary with high nest sites, and careful planning, because crimson finches can be aggressive when breeding. The crimson finch is a striking Australian native, and the males are a deep crimson red with a long, pointed tail. This guide covers how to care for crimson finches, from diet and breeding to housing and health, with a full shopping list of the supplies we recommend, delivered Australia-wide by Petsville.

Crimson Finch Quick Facts

Scientific name: Neochmia phaeton
Subspecies: black bellied and white bellied
Native range: northern Australia and southern New Guinea
Adult length: around 12 to 13 cm, including the long tail
Lifespan: commonly around 5 to 7 years
Diet: finch seed mix, live food, greens, egg and biscuit
Housing: roomy aviary with high nest sites
Clutch: around 6 white eggs, incubated for about 14 days
Sexing: males are crimson, hens are mostly grey brown
Temperament: can be aggressive when breeding
Experience level: intermediate

Crimson Finch Shopping List

Everything in this guide is available from Petsville, which delivers Australia-wide, or in-store at Birdsville in Sydney.

Live food, wicker nests and finch nest boxes are available in-store at Birdsville.

Crimson Finches in the Wild

There are two subspecies of crimson finch. The more common black bellied crimson finch is found across northern Australia, from the Kimberley through the Top End to north Queensland, from the coast stretching inland. The less common white bellied crimson finch is found on Cape York Peninsula and in southern New Guinea. They live in tall grass and pandanus near water, and many have adapted to farms and towns, with populations now living in cultivated areas.

Ash’s Sighting in the Northern Territory

On a trip to the Northern Territory, Birdsville owner Ash spotted a pair of crimson finches perched in a pandanus tree. It was winter, the dry season, and the grasses and vegetation around them were very dry.

Housing Crimson Finches

Crimson finches need a roomy aviary with plenty of flying space, high perches for nest sites, and some dense cover. Provide perches of different thicknesses, a shallow bath, and separate dishes for seed, grit, live food and water. Because they can be aggressive when breeding, more space and more nest sites help keep the peace.

Seasonal tip: Crimson finches come from tropical northern Australia and feel the cold. In winter, keep them out of draughts, shelter outdoor aviaries from cold southerly winds, and add gentle heating in cold areas. In summer, give them shade, a bath, and Vetafarm Spark Liquid (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-spark-liquid-50ml) in the water on very hot days.

Crimson Finch Diet

Crimson finches need a quality finch seed mix, greens, live food, egg and biscuit, grit, vitamins, calcium and fresh water every day.

Seed

Always feed your crimson finches a good quality finch seed mix. It’s essential for their long term health, and especially important if you want to breed them. Our top pick is Birdsville Blends Finch & Canary (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-finch-canary-500g), our biggest selling finch blend. It’s bagged fresh on site with a high turnover, so the seed never sits on a shelf, and buying from the people who mix it means better value. Be wary of many supermarket and chain store mixes, which use low quality grains and filler seed that affect the health and vitality of your birds. See our Finch Seed page (https://birdsville.net.au/seeds-grains/finch-seed/) for more.

Hemp seed and black and white lettuce seed are also great additions to the crimson finch diet.

Sprouted Seed

Crimson finches eagerly eat sprouted seed, as long as it’s washed thoroughly with Vetafarm Aviclens (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-aviclens-water-cleanser-100ml) to remove bacteria before feeding.

Millet Sprays

Crimson finches love fresh millet sprays, and French white is a favourite. Buy them on Petsville (https://petsville.com.au/products/millet-sprays-mixed-100g).

Greens

Seeding grasses, cucumber, endive, bok choy and spinach.

Live Food

Feed mealworms and fly pupae in a small dish with a pinch of insectivore mix, such as Insectivore Rearing Mix (https://petsville.com.au/products/wombaroo-insectivore-rearing-mix-250g) or Vetafarm Insecta-Pro (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-insecta-pro-450g). Live food is available in-store at Birdsville.

Egg and Biscuit

A great protein supplement, available at Birdsville and on Petsville. Try Shep’s Egg & Biscuit (https://petsville.com.au/products/sheps-egg-biscuit-500g).

Vitamins

Vitamins must go in the water, because finches shell their seed as they feed, so any vitamins on the seed are wasted. Vetafarm Multivet (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-multivet-50ml) is a good choice.

Calcium and Vitamin D

All birds need a steady supply of calcium for strong bones, healthy feathers and good eggs. We recommend Vetafarm Calcivet (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-calcivet-50ml), a liquid calcium supplement with vitamin D3 that goes in the drinking water. It’s especially important for birds kept indoors or out of direct sunlight, because window glass blocks the UV light birds need to make their own vitamin D. Breeding hens need extra calcium to lay strong eggs.

Grit

Use a fine grit mix containing baked egg shell, charcoal, crushed cuttlebone and limestone, such as shell grit (https://petsville.com.au/products/shell-grit-5kg), in its own dish.

Health, Worming and Mite Control

Have you wormed your birds? Have you sprayed them for mites and lice? Worm your crimson finches every 3 months if they live outdoors, or every 6 months indoors, using Vetafarm Wormout Gel (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-wormout-gel-50ml). Spray birds, nests and the aviary with Avitrol Mite & Lice Spray (https://petsville.com.au/products/fidos-avitrol-bird-mite-and-lice-spray-125ml) every 3 months, avoiding the eyes. Follow the instructions on each bottle.

After heavy rain, cold snaps or any stressful event, add Vetafarm Spark Liquid (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-spark-liquid-50ml) to the water for a few days. Its electrolytes and energy help birds recover from stress.

Watch for fluffed up feathers, sitting still and inactive, runny droppings, a dirty vent, or a thin chest where the keel bone sticks out. A sick finch can go downhill within hours. Move it to a small, warm cage straight away, add Spark Liquid to its water, and see an avian vet if it doesn’t improve. For more on finch health, see our Finch Care page [Finch Care page link].

Keep new birds separate for 4 to 6 weeks before introducing them, and give them Spark Liquid in their water for the first few days after a move.

Breeding Crimson Finches

Crimson finches nest in a variety of places, including wicker finch nests, coconut husks, hollow logs and open finch nest boxes. They like to nest high, so place nests in a high part of the aviary. Supply swamp grass and some coarser grass so they can build a proper nest, plus feathers to line it (https://petsville.com.au/collections/bird-subsrate). Both the male and female help build the nest.

The hen lays around 6 white eggs. Incubation starts about 4 days after laying begins and takes about 14 days, with both parents sharing the work. The chicks start to venture out of the nest at around 3 weeks old, and both parents keep feeding them for about another 4 weeks while they learn to hull seed.

Crimson finches eat much more live food while they’re raising chicks, so increase the live food above. Vetafarm Breeding Aid (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-breeding-aid-100ml) on the seed also helps support fertility and chick growth.

Crimson finches can be aggressive when breeding and may attack other finches in the aviary, so watch them closely during the breeding season.

Sexing Crimson Finches

Crimson finches are sexually dimorphic, which makes adults easy to sex visually. Males are crimson over most of the body, while hens are mostly grey brown, with red on the face and tail. Juvenile birds are dull brown and much more difficult to sex until they colour up.

Cleaning

Daily: fresh water and seed in clean dishes, blow husks off the seed, and remove old live food and greens.
Weekly: clean the aviary thoroughly.
Monthly: disinfect with Vetafarm Avicare (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-avicare-rtu-500ml), clean or replace branches, and clean out nests after the young have left.

Compatibility with Other Finches

Crimson finches can be aggressive, especially when breeding, so house them with robust, similar sized finches rather than small, timid species. Give them plenty of space and spare nest sites. For more on mixing birds, see our Mixing Different Species of Bird page (https://birdsville.net.au/pet-bird-advice-and-training/mixing-different-species-of-bird/).

Crimson Finch Frequently Asked Questions

What do crimson finches eat?

A quality finch seed mix such as Birdsville Blends Finch & Canary, plus hemp and lettuce seed, sprouted seed, French white millet sprays, and greens like seeding grasses, bok choy and spinach. Live food such as mealworms and fly pupae with insectivore mix is important, especially while raising chicks. Add grit, vitamins and calcium.

How do you tell a male crimson finch from a female?

Crimson finches are sexually dimorphic, so adults are easy to sex. Males are crimson over most of the body, while hens are mostly grey brown, with red on the face and tail. Juvenile birds are dull brown and more difficult to sex until they colour up.

Are crimson finches aggressive?

Crimson finches can be aggressive when breeding and may attack other finches in the aviary. Give them plenty of space and nest sites, house them with robust, similar sized finches, and watch them closely during the breeding season. Some keepers house breeding pairs on their own.

Where do crimson finches come from?

Crimson finches are Australian natives. The black bellied form lives across northern Australia, from the Kimberley through the Top End to north Queensland, while the white bellied form is found on Cape York and in southern New Guinea. Many now live around farms and towns.

How do crimson finches breed?

Crimson finches nest high in wicker nests, coconut husks, hollow logs or open nest boxes, using swamp grass, coarser grass and feathers. The hen lays around 6 white eggs, and both parents incubate them for about 14 days. Increase live food while they raise chicks.

What is the difference between black bellied and white bellied crimson finches?

There are two subspecies. The black bellied crimson finch is the more common and widespread form, found across northern Australia. The white bellied crimson finch is less common and is found on Cape York Peninsula and in southern New Guinea. As the names suggest, the main difference is the colour of the belly.

Crimson Finch Supplies at Birdsville

Every product in this guide is available online from Petsville, delivered Australia-wide, or in-store at Birdsville, 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney. Live food, wicker nests and finch nest boxes are available in-store. Visit us or call (02) 9669 1766, and our team will help you set up the right home and diet for your finches. Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@birdsvillepets) for live updates.

About Birdsville

Birdsville has been trading in Sydney since 1985, and we believe we’re now the oldest bricks and mortar bird shop still open in Australia. Owner Ash brings experience from vet clinics and from zoo keeping at the Rainforest Habitat in Port Douglas, now Wildlife Habitat. We’re a small business that does things in a big way. Nobody tells us how to run things, so we keep our products the best of the best.