Miniscule, just 9-10 cm long, these zebra finches swarm in their thousands.
On a hot day, any where with water is a finch magnet.
Although I do not have the pictures, these places are also a falcon magnet. They are looking for, and normally finding, lunch. A sudden shadow and panicked finches fly everywhere. For most it is a clean getaway. For one, it is an unlucky day.
Waiting their turn to drink thousands more perch in nearby trees.
Ærchies Archive - Digital Detritus 
Once upon a time, a roommate had a cage full of society finches. But we called them anti-social finches because they didn’t seem to want anything to do with us.
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Why are they called “Zebra Finches”? They don’t look black & white to me …
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I think they’ve got sections of black and white stripes on their wings or tails, Buff.
Here’s my contribution!
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very pretty
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Great picture. I also enjoyed the description of the falcon attack. We have cooper’s hawks that do the same thing here, and I am always amazed at how good the finches are at disappearing into thin air. I too have seen the hawk take a finch, and wished I had had my camera set up to document it. You really need video, though because the action is what is amazing.
I have a slightly scary Friday’s feathers post up now.
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Wow! That’s almost surreal!
Perhaps I’ll join in next week. Thanks for the invite!
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Please do, RJ, there are only a few of us but it is fun to see birds from all over the world.
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I love their orangey-red beaks and the stripey tail – extravagance with colour and pattern is a quality I very much admire!
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They also have a reddish splotch on their cheeks. They are a beautiful little bird but quite overwhelming in their flocks of thousands. And nervous – They are as nervous as a lone ewe at a New Zealand Shepherds convention!
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A year or so ago, I had a merlin stop here for a snack (house sparrow). I was rooted to the window until the merlin left. Beautiful, deadly and faster than lightning! A couple of weeks ago, I had a young Cooper’s Hawk stop by. I love having a “watering hole” in the middle of Phoenix!
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I have been lucky enough to see hawks and falcons hunting several times. They are so fast! One day I may fluke a camera shot – and it will be a fluke – they are too fast to plan a shot!
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