Aussie Finch Forum

A little bit of good news for the day.ABC radio yesterday reported that a flock of a about 100 Gouldians has been spotted in and around Katherine.National parks are hoping that better fire management practices may see Gouldians numbers rise in the area.They are encouraging local land owners to plant and maintain native grasses to attract more birds to the area.

awesome!!!!

wow thats amazing thumbs up for gouldians

That's truely great news. If the land managers have cracked the secret let's hope they get the word out ASAP so the rest of the top end can benefit - - thats if a one size fits all approach works.

Heading up there in May and hopefully can get some photos.They are hopeful the birds are making a comeback but not getting ahead of themselves,residents have reported having Gouldians in their backyards,how nice would that be ?

what great news, lets hope the landowners get behind the scheme to plant more grasses.

Seeing the Gouldian in the wild definitely a major highlight for me. It is great to hear that they are around.

Heading up there in May and hopefully can get some photos

Do you have some spots to look for them If not I will send you a PM with some details.

Good to see them on the recovery.Hope some of the other birds are experiencing the same.

Can i add that i went to a meeting down here and with the Gouldians it is just not the burning off of the fires its a few other factors as well,
Longtails fight the Gouldians for the nesting sites and most of the time win.
Gouldians are in competition with again Longtails and Stars for the grass seed that is around at the time.
So it is some of our own finches which is part off the problem as well.
And it was also said these finches were low on numbers as well not long ago but are picking up numbers very quick. Quicker than the Gouldians.
Also on the topic of low numbers Plumhead numbers are low in the wild very far and few between.

Without doubt the single most damaging thing for the wild Gouldians is fire.
Fire destroys the older trees which happen to have the hollows in them.
The hollows are the only nesting sites for the Gouldian,hence no hollows no breeding and
yes they have to try and compete with Longtails and the Gouldians do lose most time.
The major loss is when the fire burns the grass lands. The next season the grass grows well
which is good stock feed But apparently some particular grasses will not seed until the second year.
The result, no seeds, no food for the Gouldian which means possible starvation for adults and NO success with regard breeding
So pressure must be used to stop setting fire to the grasses.
I can remember Mike Fidler showing me a photo shot from the air of a fire deliberatly lit,its fire front
extended 300kms. That is from Melbourne to Albury(NSW/Vic Border) ,what hope does any of our wildlife have
Quite sobering isn't it.