The star finch (Bathilda ruficauda) is a seed-eating bird species found in northern Australia.

The upper and lower plumage is yellow-green, white spotted on the underparts, the belly more yellow.

[8] Hombron and Jacquinot first encountered these birds when they stopped off in Australia as part the French expedition to Antarctica of 1837–1840, traveling aboard the Astrolabe.

[15] In contrast the species Bathilda ruficauda is Presumed Extinct in New South Wales and the population is listed as Near Threatened in the Northern Territory.

[16] The subspecies clarescens, located on the Cape York Peninsula, has a stable population of about 3,500 individuals but with patchy distribution.

[16] These finches inhabit low, dense, damp grasslands and sedgelands bordering estuarine areas, watercourses, swamps and other freshwater-bodies.

[15] They are also found in grassy, open savanna type sclerophyll woodland and occasionally in towns.

[18] The star finch's habitat is threatened by overgrazing of grasslands, removing essential cover for their survival as well as sources of food and water.