VOL. 19 (4) DECEMBER 2001 115 AUSTRALIAN WATCHER 2001, 19, 115- 120 The Black-throated Finch Poephila cincta in New South Wales

ANDREW J. LEY1 and SHIRLEY M. COOK2 119 Lynches Road, Armidale, N.S.W. 2350 24 Virginia Close, Armidale, N.S.W. 2350

Summary A literature review was conducted to draw together details of Black-throated Finch Poephila cincta records in New South Wales over the last few decades. Based on the locations of these records, and using habitat guidelines from them, on-ground surveys were conducted at likely Black-throated Fmch locations. No records for this species in New South Wales were found later than 1994, and no individuals of the target species were sighted during the on-ground surveys. Based on these results, we conclude that the species may no longer occur in New South Wales and that the most recent records may have been of relict populations that no longer exist.

Introduction The grass-finches (; Schodde & Mason 1999) include about 135 species and 27 genera, ranging from Africa across southern Asia to Australasia and the Pacific. With 18 species in eight genera, Australia is one of two centres of estrildid diversity, the other being Africa. The genus Poephila contains three species: the P. personata containing two subspecies, one on Cape York Peninsula and the other in the Top End of the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia; the Long-tailed Finch P. acuticauda which occurs in north-western Queensland, the Top End and the Kimberley region; and the Black-throated FinchP. cincta of eastern Australia from Cape York Peninsula to northern New South Wales. The Masked Finch is sympatric with the Long-tailed Finch in the west and with the Black-throated Finch in the east. The last two species are similar in appearance and occupy mutually exclusive ranges, separating at the south-eastern Gulf of Carpentaria. They are sibling species and are very similar ecologically and behaviourally (lmmelmann 1982). The Black-throated Finch has two subspecies: P.c. atropygialis, a black-rumped form from the northern part of the range, and P.c. cincta, a white-rumped form from the south. The two intergrade at the base of Cape York Peninsula where intermediate forms occur, although they are sympatric on the Atherton Tableland without apparent interbreeding (Zann 1976). The southern subspecies of the Black-throated Finch has declined in the past and the decline is apparently continuing, due to clearing of woodland, grazing by sheep and rabbits and, possibly, trapping for the bird trade (Garnett & Crowley 2000). It is listed as vulnerable on the schedules of the Commonwealth Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 and as Endangered on the schedules of the New South Wales Threatened Species Consnvation Act 1996. This paper reports on a review of the relevant literature and an on-ground search for the Black-throated Finch in northern New South Wales undertaken by the Australia-Northern New South Wales Group on behalf of the New South Wales National Parks & Wildlife Service (Ley & Cook 2000, 2001). AUS1RALIAN 116 LEY&COOK BIRD WATCHER

Previous observations of the Black-throated Finch in New South Wales

Habitat Black-throated Finches are found in woodland and riverine vegetation (Gilmore & Parnaby 1994). Many observations have emphasised a link with a water source (e.g. J3aldwin 1976, Mccutcheon 1976, Immelmann 1982), and dense vegetation is repeatedly mentioned. Immelmann (1982) described its preferred habitat as woodland with a dense understorey of grass and scrub. In northern New South Wales, Baldwin (1976) saw the species, at different times, in riparian vegetation of tea-tree Leptospermum flavescens thickets, dense River Oak Casuarina cunninghamiana and dense Melaleuca hedges, where seeding grasses were plentiful. A 1992 sighting at Swan Brook near Inverell was of Finches in riparian Weeping Willow Salix babylonica. In contrast, in southern Queensland, Lord (1956) found the species in open forest on ridges, grassy hillsides and mountain flats, and he did not mention the proximity of water.

Drought The behaviour and movements of Black-throated Finches may be influenced by drought. In north Queensland, these finches usually live in flocks of 12 to 30, but during drought nomadic flocks of up to several hundred form near water (Zann 1976). Thus, an outlying record in 1968 near Gilgandra in northern New South Wales may have represented a drought-induced movement: 30 Finches were seen at water at a time when the Gilgandra district was in relatively good condition although severe drought prevailed elsewhere in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland (McCutcheon 1976). Farther north in New South Wales, Baldwin (1976) was unable to find them at known locations near Inverell after October 1967 when the district became drought-stricken, and she suggested that they may have moved south. A previously resident flock of Black-throated Finches near Stanthorpe in southern Queensland may have been forced to move by drought (Passmore 1982).

Some recent records in New South Wales Recent records of the Black-throated Finch in New South Wales have been concentrated in the Inverell-Ashford district although there have been outlying reports near Tenterfield to the east of Inverell, from Boggabilla to the west, and from Gilgandra to the south. Records in the last few decades are as follow. 1. 1994 at Pindari Dam, near Ashford. This is not only the most recent record but is also firsthand, well-documented and from a reliable source. Black-throated Finches were first seen on 12 May and then several times in the weeks that followed; sometimes three individuals were seen and sometimes only two. The location was just downstream from the dam wall and the Finches were seen feeding on a mown lawn and in a heavily grazed paddock. Areas of ungrazed grass were nearby and an overflowing septic tank provided a source of water. On occasions the Finches were difficult to find, but were sometimes detected by their call, which was described as having elements of the calls of Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura guttata and Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii. Plum­ headed Finches Neochmia modesta were seen in the same vicinity as the Black-throated Finches (Harry Hines pers. comm.). This is the same sighting as the ~pril' report in the New South Wales Bird Report (Morris & Burton 1996). VOL. 19 (4) DECEMBER 2001 Black-throated Finch in N.S.W. 117

2. 11November1994. Four Black-throated Finches at Bukkulla (Morris & Burton 1996). No further information is available. 3. 13 November 1992 at Swan Brook 29 km east of Inverell. Two Black-throated Finches were seen with Plum-headed Finches in Weeping Willows (Morris & Burton 1994). This record was accepted by the New South Wales Ornithological Records Appraisal Committee (Morris 1994). 4. 24 October 1989 at Inverell (Morris & Burton 1992). This record was rejected by the New South Wales Ornithological Records Appraisal Committee for lack of information (Morris 1992). 5. 2 September 1977, 10 km south of Boggabilla. A flock of 11 Black-throated Finches (Rogers & Lindsey 1978). No further information. 6. 1968. A flock of 30 Black-throated Finches 22 km west of Gilgandra (Mccutcheon 1976). 7. 1965-67. Black-throated Finches were regularly seen in the Inverell district at Middle Creek, Frazer Creek, Ponds Creek and Wean Crossing (Baldwin 1976). 8. April 1963. A specimen was collected near Tenterfield (Hall 1974). 9. Undated, but before 1989. A breeding record at the property 'Trevanna' near Ashford (N. Tighe pers. comm.). 10. Undated. Local anecdote suggested that Whitehorse Gully and Nullamanna in the Ashford district should be checked (June Harris pers. comm.).

A search for the Black-throated Finch in northern New South Wales

Methods Based on the locations of recent sightine;s of the Black-throated Finch, the search was concentrated in the Inverell-Ashford district m northern New South Wales. It was conducted in two parts: a publicity campaign followed by on-ground surveys. Seventeen thousand questionnaire leaflets describing the Finch and requesting details of any sightings were distributed in the search area. The main distribution method was by enclosing the leaflet with local-government rate notices, which were distributed in mid 2000. Local­ government areas in which this happened were Moree Plains (7500 leaflets), Yallaroi (2600), Severn (2000) and Glen Innes (2800). lnverell Shire declined to be involved, and Tunterfiefd Shire participated to the extent of displaying the leaflets in the shire offices. Bundles of leaflets were sent to 18 central and hi$h schools and Catholic schools in the search area accompanied by a request that they be distributed to pupils. The schools were located in Ashford, Bingara, Boggabilla, Bundarra, Emmaville, Glen Innes, Goodooga, Guyra, Inverell, Moree, Mungindi, Tunterfield and Warialda. A media release requesting Black-throated Finch sightings was distributed via surface- and e-mail to 20 outlets in the search area. Three radio interviews were conducted on local radio stations. Responses to the media campaign were followed up, depending on the nature of each response. The main on-ground search effort for the Black-throated Finch took place during the weekend 20-22 October 2000 at Ashford, which was chosen because it was central to the area where the most recent sightings had occurred as documented by Ley & Cook (2000). Tun search teams from the Birds Australia-Northern New South Wales Group were allocated an area to survey within the wider Inverell-Ashford district. Tuams were asked to survey selected points for 20 minutes or more. Survey points were to be selected by the teams guided by, but not restricted by, guidelines giving characteristics of the habitat that might be favoured by the Finch. The guidelines were drawn up from information taken from earlier AUS1RALIAN 118 LEY&COOK BIRD WATCHER

published records for the species in New South Wales. At each survey point, teams recorded habitat information and all finch species seen. In addition to the searches in the Inverell-Ashford district, two teams surveyed the Thnterfield district on 7-10 November and the Boggabilla district on 12-14 December 2000.

Results The publicity campaign elicited 20 responses. Five of these were from people claiming to have seen the Black-throated Finch. The report deemed to be the most reliable, because the respondent knew the correct names for the various finch species and was familiar with finches under aviary conditions, was followed up but the only finches seen were Chestnut-breasted Mannikins Lonchura castaneothorax. Of the other four reports, three were also negative, and one could not be followed up because of floods. During the on-ground searches 152 Black-throated Finch survey record sheets were completed (116 in the Inverell-Ashford district, 23 in the Tenterfield district and 13 near Boggabilla), but no Black-throated Finches were recorded. Other finch species were recorded at 51 of the 152 survey locations. Plum-headed Finches, which may associate with Black-throated Finches, were recorded at seven locations. The other finch species seen were Zebra Taeniopygia guttata (14 locations), Double-banded (21) and Red-browed Finches Neochmia temporalis (18), Diamond Firetail (8) and Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (1). During these searches, contact was made with several locals who expressed interest in our activities. A few claimed to have seen Black-throated Finches although none said that the sightings were recent. During the Tenterfield search, contact was made with a Stanthorpe resident who claimed to know where Black-throated Finches still occurred in the Stanthorpe district but he did not divulge any details. It was unclear whether he had seen the Finches himself in the last few years and, in the absence of further details, this claim is impossible to verify or refute. It could be regarded as suspect in the absence of any other sightings in recent years.

Discussion Before the start of this project there were two years of good rainfall in the Inverell-Ashford district, resulting in good grass growth that should have produced conditions favourable for finches. Nevertheless, during the search weekend some participants who live in the area expressed the opinion that finches in general were less abundant than they have been at other times. One or more finch species were recorded at only 41 of 116 survey locations around Inverell­ Ashford and there were no large flocks. Perhaps more .finches would be recorded, and the possibility of seeing the target species might be enhanced, during searches at a different time of year or under different environmental conditions. Perhaps the few records of the Black-throated Finch from New South Wales in recent decades were sightings of relict populations, already isolated by the northward contraction of the species' range, which subsequently died out or moved away. The lack of records in the current Birds Australia Atlas project from south of about the latitude of Townsville in north Queensland (Birds Australia Atlas, unpubl. data) tends to support this suggestion and, regrettably, it could be that the Finch no longer exists anywhere near New South Wales. VOL. 19 (4) DECEMBER 2001 Black-throated Finch in N.S.W 119

Further research into the species' ecology, especially of subspecies cincta where it is still known to occur in numbers, could assist in guiding future searches in New South Wales. Garnett & Crowley (2000) listed the southern form of the Black-throated Finch as vulnerable, with a possible total population of 20 000 birds (although recent evidence indicates that this assessment may be over­ optimistic). They suggested that a project 'to determine characteristics of habitat and land management where [the subspecies still occurs]' is required to provide basic information to assist its recovery. Further surveys should be carried out at other times of year, perhaps in autumn and winter, and in southern Queensland as well as New South Wales. If no Black­ throated Finches are found, the appropriate authorities should consider the option of re-introducing the subspecies from populations to the north. Re-introduction should be under a controlled management regime into locations previously occupied by Black-throated Finches and with suitable habitat or where habitat manipulation has been undertaken.

Acknowledgements This project was funded by the Threatened Species Unit of the New South Wales National Parks & Wildlife Service Northern Directorate, Coffs Harbour, and carried out by Birds Australia. We thank all those who responded to the questionnaire, the Department of School Education & 'Ilaining, Armidale and Moree Districts, and the Catholic Schools Office, Armidale, for assistance with the distribution of the questionnaire to schools, and the local-government councils named in the text for distribution of the leaflet to ratepayers. The on-ground surveys in the Ashford district were conducted by members and friends of Birds Australia-Northern New South Wales Group; Peter Haselgrove and Evan Cleland assisted with the Thnterfield and Boggabilla searches respectively.

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Rogers, A.E.F. & Lindsey, T.R. (1978), 'New South Wales bird report for 1977', Australian Birds 13, 1-22. Schodde, R. & Mason, l.J. (1999), The Directory of Australian Birds: , CSIRO, Melbourne. Zann, R.A. (1976), 'Distribution, status and breeding of Black-throated Finches Poephila cincta in northern Queensland', Emu 76, 201-206. Received 20 June 2001 •