Blue-faced Parrotfinch Erythrura trichroa Scientific name definitions

12 cm; 12–16 g (sigillifer). Male nominate race has most of crown and face deep blue, hindcrown to back and upperwing green with golden gloss, uppertail-coverts and slightly pointed tail red, outer tail feathers olive-brown; below, entirely green from chin to undertail-coverts; iris dark brown, eyering black; bill black; legs pinkish. Female is very like male, but duller, blue of head paler and less extensive, rump to tail duller red. Juvenile is dull green above, rump to tail dull red, lacks blue on forehead and face, has breast light green, belly buff, bill yellow, black on upper ridge and at base of lower mandible. Races differ mainly in minor details of plumage, mainly relative brightness, also in size: <em>sigillifer</em> is sightly less yellow-tinged above than nominate, sometimes a slight bluish tinge below ; eichhorni is smaller than previous, more extensively blue on forehead; woodfordi is larger than nominate, green areas paler and more yellow, slightly less blue on forehead, blue of face tinged mauve; cyanofrons is smallest race, brighter green, blue on head more extensive, blue of face tinged purple, bill blunt; modesta is larger and paler than nominate, has mauve-blue tinge on face, bill comparatively small; <em>sanfordi</em> is larger, with bill thicker than last, paler below, rump tinged orange; pinaiae has upperparts tinged bluish, wings dull green, edges of secondaries greyish-blue; <em>pelewensis</em> has bill large and thick at base, underparts tinged pale blue; clara resembles nominate, but brighter green, glossed golden above, blue on crown more extensive, rump slightly more orange.

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Recently recorded, race uncertain, in Taliabu (Sula Is) (2 Rheindt, F. E., D. W. Prawiradilaga, Suparno, H. Ashari, and P. R. Wilton (2014). New and significant island records, range extensions and elevational extensions of birds in eastern Sulawesi, its nearby satellites, and Ternate. Treubia 41:61–90. Close ).

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Hill forest and montane forest and forest edge, rainforest, and dense secondary growth; usually near grassy areas and fruiting bamboo, and in Vanuatu occasionally lawns under casuarina trees (Casuarina) on Efaté. From mangrove fringes to hills and montane sites, at 1500–2300 m on Sulawesi, 1500 m on Buru and 600–2300 m on Seram; in New Guinea mainly 1000–3000 m, also in lower foothills and nearby lowlands; breeding records at 900 m in NE Australia (Queensland), and down to sea-level on smaller islands.

Mainly resident; in New Guinea possibly nomadic. In Australia, moves to coastal lowlands in non-breeding season and to interior uplands in breeding season.

Mainly grass seeds , also seeds of bamboo, figs (Ficus) and casuarina (Casuarina), and small berries; also small insects, including termites (Isoptera). In Queensland, takes seeds of introduced grass Brachiaria decumbens while perched along edge of rainforest. Active, at ground level to forest canopy. Forages singly, in pairs and in small groups, sometimes in larger flocks; also occasionally in mixed-species foraging groups including Neochmia temporalis, white-eyes (Zosteropidae) and other small birds.

Call  a thin, high-pitched "tsit-tsit", given in flight, described also as a short, thin, high-pitched descending "ti-tu, ti-tu-tu" or "t t t t". Song  in New Guinea a high metallic trill followed by a whistle that falls and then rises at end.

Season Oct–Feb/Mar in Vanuatu, and Nov–Apr (in pre-wet and wet season) in Australia. Male bundles nesting material in bill, flies to female while uttering trilling song, perches and angles tail towards her, she angles her tail towards male, and the two move head in bobbing (but do not bow); she crouches and then flies off, giving a trill, male follows in undulating sexual pursuit-flight, she perches and, when male reaches her, she flies off again; pursuit-flight repeated several times, until it ends with copulation. Nest oval, pear-shaped and narrower towards bottom, tightly constructed, with side entrance, built from curly moss, dark fibres and strands of vine, lined with dead grass, placed high in sapling, banyan fig (Ficus) or Pandanus foliage or on cliff. Clutch 3–6 eggs; incubation period 12–14 days; nestling naked, skin pink, becoming black by day 8, each side of gape has two large blue reflecting papillae, yellow palate has five black spots, tongue has two lateral spots and a sublingual crescent; nestling period 21 days; fledglings fed by parents for a further ten days, begging young quivering the wings; most of the parental care is carried out by female.

Not globally threatened. Fairly common in much of range; shy, and probably often overlooked as a result of its inconspicuous behaviour. Appears generally rare and local in W of range, but locally not uncommon in NC Sulawesi (where known only from NC & SC areas); heard far more often than seen. Reasonably common in E Caroline Is, but uncommon and difficult to find in Palau. Variably common but locally distributed in New Guinea. Rather uncommon throughout E part of range, where patchily distributed in Solomons and Vanuatu, and present also in Loyalty Is. Rare in Australia.