grass finch, any of several small finchlike birds of Australasia that constitute the tribe Erythrurini of the songbird family Estrildidae. Their tails are long and pointed, their bills stoutly conical. Grass finches live chiefly in hot open country near rivers. Several grass finches are well-known cage birds. One of the most colourful is the Gouldian finch (Chloebia, formerly Poephila, gouldiae) whose plumage is purple, gold, green, blue, and black; its face may be red, orange, or black. The star finch (Neochmia ruficauda) is greenish brown above and yellow below, with white-dotted red head, greenish gray breast, and white-barred red tail. The painted finch (Emblema, formerly Zonaeginthus, pictus) is red and brown, with white-spotted black underparts.