Black-throated Finch
Encyclopedia
The Black-throated Finch (Poephila cincta), or Parson Finch, is a species of estrildid finch
found in grassy woodlands throughout north-east Australia
from Cape York Peninsula
to north-east New South Wales
. It is declining and its habitat is threatened by development.
in 1837, its specific epithet is Latin
cincta "girdled". It is placed in the Australo-papuan Finch family Estrildidae, although this family itself was previously placed in the sparrow family Passeridae
.
A genetic study published in 2005 showed it diverged from the Long-tailed Finch
(P. acuticauda) 0.6 million years ago.
Parson Finch is an alternate common name.
south through eastern Queensland and into northeastern New South Wales in the vicinity of Tenterfield, however has not been recorded in New South Wales since 1994. It is sedentary or locally nomadic. It is found in grassy open forested habitats, generally near bodies of water such as rivers.
Much of the remaining population is located near Townsville, and there have been issues with development encroaching on suitable habitat.
5 metres above the ground. Four to six matte white oval eggs are laid, measuring 12 x 17 mm.
Estrildid finch
The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They can be classified as the family Estrildidae , or as a sub-group within the family Passeridae, which also includes the true sparrows....
found in grassy woodlands throughout north-east Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
from Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
to north-east New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. It is declining and its habitat is threatened by development.
Taxonomy
Originally described by ornithologist John GouldJohn Gould
John Gould was an English ornithologist and bird artist. The Gould League in Australia was named after him. His identification of the birds now nicknamed "Darwin's finches" played a role in the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection...
in 1837, its specific epithet is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
cincta "girdled". It is placed in the Australo-papuan Finch family Estrildidae, although this family itself was previously placed in the sparrow family Passeridae
Sparrow
The sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer...
.
A genetic study published in 2005 showed it diverged from the Long-tailed Finch
Long-tailed Finch
The Long-tailed Finch is a common species of estrildid finch found in Australia; also known as the Blackheart Finch, Shaft-tail Finch, Heck's Grassfinch, Heck's Grass Finch, and Heck's Finch. It is a predominantly fawn-coloured bird with a pale grey head and prominent black bib and eyes...
(P. acuticauda) 0.6 million years ago.
Parson Finch is an alternate common name.
Subspecies
The Black-throated Finch has two subspecies, with intermediate forms found between the two.- Poephila cincta cincta is a white-rumped form found south of Townsville
- Poephila cincta atropygialis is a black-rumped form found north of Cairns, and is possibly extending its range southwards.
Description
Measuring around 10 cm (4 in) in length, the Black-throated Finch has a short black bill, lores, and throat, sharply delineated from the rest of the pale grey head. The wings, breast and belly are pale pinkish brown, and the short tail is black, while the rump is black in northern forms and white in southern.Distribution and habitat
The Black-throated Finch was traditionally found from Cape YorkCape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
south through eastern Queensland and into northeastern New South Wales in the vicinity of Tenterfield, however has not been recorded in New South Wales since 1994. It is sedentary or locally nomadic. It is found in grassy open forested habitats, generally near bodies of water such as rivers.
Threats
For the past few decades, the population of this species has declined; the southern subspecies has been declared threatened in New South Wales, and vulnerable in Queensland, and appears to have vanished from 80% of its former range. The reason for the declined population is probably due to spread of pastoralism, changes in fire regime and increases in the density of native woody weeds in grassy savannas. A national Management Plan was published in 2004 by the NSW and Qld Governments.Much of the remaining population is located near Townsville, and there have been issues with development encroaching on suitable habitat.
Feeding
The Black-throated Finch primarily eats seed from various species of grass, and also eats spiders and ants. In the wet season, birds also hunt flying termites.Breeding
Breeding may occur from September to January in the southern parts of its range, and after the monsoon season in February onwards in the north. One or two broods are laid during this time. The nest is a round structure woven from dried grasses with tube-like entrance placed high in a eucalypt5 metres above the ground. Four to six matte white oval eggs are laid, measuring 12 x 17 mm.