Editing Australian zebra finch (section)

==Habitat and distribution==

The Australian zebra finch has the most extensive mainland distribution of the Australian estrilids, being found in about 75% of mainland Australia. The species is generally not found on the coasts, except for the arid western edge.<ref name="Zann19">{{harvnb|Zann|1996|p=19}}</ref> 

The Australian zebra finch is generally found in more arid areas.<ref name="hbwc"/> The areas it chooses to occupy are close to water, and places where rain is concentrated after it falls.<ref name="Zann23">{{harvnb|Zann|1996|p=23}}</ref> However, this is likely more related to the abundance of vegetation than the abundance of water as a resource in itself.<ref name="Zann62–68">{{harvnb|Zann|1996|pp=62–68}}</ref> Within these areas, it is found in grasslands with scattered trees and shrubs, and in open or grassy woodlands.<ref name="hbwc">{{cite journal |last1=Payne|first1=R.|editor1-last=del Hoyo |editor1-first=Josep |editor2-last=Elliott |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Sargatal |editor3-first=Jordi |editor4-last=Christie |editor4-first=David A. |editor5-last=de Juana |editor5-first=Eduardo |year=2018 |title=Australian Zebra Finch (''Taeniopygia castanotis'') |journal=Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive |url=https://www.hbw.com/species/australian-zebra-finch-taeniopygia-castanotis|publisher=Lynx Edicions |location=Barcelona, Spain |doi=10.2173/bow.zebfin2.01 |s2cid=216499275 |access-date=5 August 2018|url-access=subscription }}</ref> It is also found in cultivated areas,<ref name="Zann27">{{harvnb|Zann|1996|p=27}}</ref> such as rice fields.<ref name="hbwg">{{cite journal|last1=Payne|first1=R.|year=2018|editor1-last=del Hoyo|editor1-first=Josep|editor2-last=Elliott|editor2-first=Andrew|editor3-last=Sargatal|editor3-first=Jordi|editor4-last=Christie|editor4-first=David A.|editor5-last=de Juana|editor5-first=Eduardo|title=Timor Zebra Finch (''Taeniopygia guttata'')|url=https://www.hbw.com/species/timor-zebra-finch-taeniopygia-guttata|url-access=subscription|access-date=5 August 2018|journal=Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive|publisher=Lynx Edicions|location=Barcelona, Spain|doi=10.2173/bow.zebfin2.01 |s2cid=216499275 }}</ref> It usually stays confined to the low coastal areas of the islands it inhabits, but it can move to elevations up to {{convert|2300|m|ft}} to exploit expanding cultivation and grasslands.<ref name="Zann17">{{harvnb|Zann|1996|p=17}}</ref>

Although Australian zebra finch breeding, for example, is initiated by rainfall,<ref name="ZannMorton1995"/> [[Klaus Immelmann]] proposed that sustained heavy precipitation is detrimental to the zebra finch. This is supported by the observation that the nest does not shield the chicks or eggs from rain, and rainfall can sometimes result in clutches being abandoned. Furthermore, it is supported by Immelmann's finding that zebra finches left [[Wyndham, Western Australia|Wyndham]] after the first heavy rains in November 1959, but returned to breed in April. It is hypothesised that birds in parts of northern Australia migrate inland during the wet season from October to May, and return to the coastal regions during the dryer months.<ref name="Zann25">{{harvnb|Zann|1996|p=25}}</ref>