Surveys of a small population of the Endangered Black-throated Finch Poephila cincta cincta in North Queensland

Abstract

The Endangered southern subspecies of the Black-throated Finch Poephila cincta cincta survives in two recognised ‘strongholds’: parts of the Galilee Basin and the Townsville Plains, in Queensland. Elsewhere, there are apparently smaller populations scattered north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Between November 2014 and April 2018, 15 field surveys for Black-throated Finches were conducted on Toomba Station, a cattle property west of Charters Towers, North Queensland. Black-throated Finches were detected during five of these surveys, indicating the presence of a small and possibly isolated population. They were detected on 16 of the 65 survey days over a 3.5-year period. All but two detections were within 400 m of one of two water sources, one a cattle trough and the other a small farm dam. The habitat consisted principally of open woodland dominated by Narrow-leaved Ironbark Eucalyptus crebra and other Eucalyptus and Corymbia species. Blackthroated Finches were observed attending the two water sources, foraging and resting. The largest number seen was 13. Other observations detected 1–11 birds. These numbers, along with the limited number of sites at which the species was detected despite considerable search effort, suggest that the total population of the district is very small. Small and isolated populations are likely to be vulnerable to drought, local changes in land use and stochastic factors. Given the current threats to the Blackthroated Finch in its ‘strongholds’, it is important to ascertain the status, ecology and conservation needs of any remaining small, isolated populations of this subspecies.