The first time I saw Zebra Finch was at Coober Pedy. I cannot remember the year but it was around the mid 1980’s.
More recently, I saw them almost daily when traveling through central Australia with two friends, Mark and Rob. Nearly every time we stepped out of the car there were Zebra Finch zitting about.
Zebra Finch are remarkably attuned to Australia and it fluctuating climate. Their numbers can increase quickly after a period of rain. But increasing numbers is not like the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It means finding a mate, making a nest, eating enough to produce eggs and then feeding chicks. And in the centre of our great brown land. Oh, and no child minding allowance or government benefits.
But I digress.
For a twitcher, some birds are memorable for the difficulty in finding them or their speed in the undergrowth. For me, the Zebra Finch is a survivor and we could all learn from their strategy.
All Australians should know the story of the Zebra Finch. #JustSaying
Photograph from BirdLife Australia of which I am a member.
malbrown2 
I first saw Zebra Finch in central Australia too, loved them and loved the way their colours look so perfect in those landscapes, then saw them next at Werribee where they looked so wrong.