Gouldian Finch Recovery Project
Background and History
The Gouldian Finch Erythrura gouldiae (Gould 1844) is a small granivorous bird endemic to the savanna woodlands of northern Australia. The species has declined in abundance throughout its former range and is now locally extinct in many areas (Blakers et al. 1984). Range contraction has been most apparent in the eastern portion of the former range (Queensland).
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The Gouldian Finch was once amongst the most common finches of the northern savannas, but has declined throughout this century. Large flocks of Gouldians were apparently a prominent feature of the landscape (Heumann 1926), and large numbers were harvested for the local and international captive bird trade until the early 1980s. Populations are now sparsely distributed and sightings of even small numbers of birds are rare in most parts of their former range.
Initial concern that populations of grass-finches were in decline was expressed by residents in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory. This concern resulted in a brief investigation by the Commonwealth conservation agency which recommended funding research on the comparative ecology of savanna grass-finches with emphasis on the Gouldian Finch and the Pictorella Mannikin (Forshaw 1979). Comparative studies of grassfinch ecology commenced in 1986 and resulted in a number of contributions to the knowledge of these species (summarised in Tidemann 1996).
The Gouldian Finch was listed as Endangered in 1989 following a submission by scientists from the Wildlife Research Unit of the (then) Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory. The submission cited evidence of range contraction (e.g. Blakers et al. 1984), anecdotal and quantitative evidence of population decline. Data from the returns of licensed finch trappers operating in the Kimberley region of Western Australia suggested a rapid decline in Gouldian Finch populations throughout the 1970s that was not evident for other species, and prompted the prohibition of trapping for this species after 1981.
More recent reviews have confirmed the Endangered status of the Gouldian Finch (Garnett 1993, ANCA 1994, Collar et al. 1994). In 1993, a species recovery process was initiated for the Gouldian Finch with funding commitments from the Endangered Species Unit of the Australian Nature Conservation Agency, the (then) Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory and Pegasus Mining (originally Zapopan), the operator of the Mt Todd gold mine in the Northern Territory. A Recovery Plan for the species was compiled by the Gouldian Finch Recovery Team, led principally by Dr J. Woinarski of the (then) Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory. This version of the Recovery Plan was endorsed by the Gouldian Finch Recovery Team meeting in October 1994.
The national Gouldian Finch Recovery Team includes representatives from the Commonwealth conservation agency (Threatened Species and Communities Section of Wildlife Australia), state and territory conservation agencies (Conservation and Land Management Department of Western Australia, Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory and Queensland Department of the Environment), non-government organisations including the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, the Threatened Species Network, and an aboriginal association (Jawoyn Association).
