New to this site.
Was just looking through web site (which is awesome) as our apartment backs onto bush with many small birds one being the Red-browed Finch (Neochmia-temporalis).
http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Neochmia-temporalis
We are moving and was interested in what type of plants i can use to attract the same sort of birds. Anyway the firetail has "Lantana camara" listed which is regarded as one of the worst Noxious weeds in Australia.
Maybe I'm getting the wrong idea of "Plants associated with this species"
Redbrowed firetails seem to love nesting in weeds. Ours usually nest in sweetbriar roses or hawthorns, but I think any dense twiggy bush that grows to about 2m tall will be good. They eat seeds but feed their babies on insects, so long grass and allowing your paddock to go to seed will help, also avoid insecticides.
Red-browed finches thrive in areas along creeks and rivers where native grasses still survive and go to seed. They will be attracted to gardens that include clumps of native grasses such as Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra), Weeping Grass (Microlaena stipoides) and a variety of other Poa spp. They prefer to nest in dense low to medium shrubs that offer some protection. Some of the small prickly acacias are excellent. In Melbourne we have Acacia verticillata, Acacia paradoxa or Acacia genistifolia but contact your local indigenous nursery, find out what your local Acacia species are and plant those. I wouldn't recommend planting Lantana to attract Red-browed Finches... Good luck!!
Hi Dazwel, seeing this is your post 1, welcome to this forum.I can only agree with what GregL, and spiney suggest. Last year we didn't have the time to,what the neighbours would call "look after the place", so everything went wild. Lots of weeds, long grasses, mixed with native plants,just growing naturaly. We had more wrens and red-browed firetails, we have ever seen before. So don't be afraid to offend the neighbours!
M-L
Thanks for the advice. Will get try for organised mess with some water and see if that works for me :).