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The Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is the most common and familiar estrildid finch of Central Australia and ranges over most of the continent, avoiding only the cool moist south and the tropical far north.

There are two distinct sub-species. Taeniopygia guttata guattata, the Timor Zebra Finch, extends from Lombok in the Lesser Sunda Islands or Nusa Tanggara in Indonesia to Sermata in addition to coastal areas around the continent of Australia. The other sub-species is Taeniopygia gutatta castanotis. This species is found over the wide range of continental Australia.

The morphological differences between the sub-species include differences in size. Taeniopygia guttata guttata is smaller than Taeniopygia guttata castanotis. In addition, the T.g. guttata males do not have the fine barring found on the throat and upper breast of T.g. castanotis as well as having small breast bands.