Emblema (bird)


Emblema is a genus of estrildid finches found in Australasia. They are gregarious seed-eaters with short, thick, but pointed bills.

Taxonomy

The genus Emblema was introduced in 1842 by the English ornithologist John Gould to accommodate a single species, Emblema picta Gould, the painted finch. The genus name is from Latin emblema, emblematis meaning "inlaid" or "mosaic work".
The genus contains three species:
ImageCommon nameScientific nameDistribution
Painted finchEmblema pictumnorthern Australia
Star finchEmblema ruficaudanorthwest to northeast Australia
Plum-headed finchEmblema modestumeastern Australia