Reintroduction of Gouldians to the wild in North Qld

[Lonchura]

Can anyone help me find detailed information about a program I have heard of... Where someone or some group is trying to reintroduce/release Gordian finches into the wild in north Queensland? (Atherton-Mareeba region; I have heard). I apologise if the information is vague or incorrect, this is why I am asking for help.

[vettepilot_6]

Try this link http://www.mareebawetlands.org/gouldian.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[E Orix]

This brings back the old fear. Are the released birds pure normals or split to some mutation?
It would be terrible to see mutation Gouldians flying around,the only saving grace would be the mutated birds could be targeted by the preditors.
While the Save the Gouldian Fund process has already got native stock to work with they are tackling the problem in another direction as well.
Re establishing the food availability all the time by research and fire limitation.Providing nesting containers because natural nest sites are being lost due to fire.It is a massive task but apart from the assistance to the Gouldians the major spin off is the amount of awareness of the gouldians plight to the general public.
It took an English couple who have migrated to Australia to show us what to do with our own wild life.
David Holmes

[jusdeb]

I might be wrong but releasing birds in a sick environment that is the cause of their decline seems futile .

Kinda a band aid solution.

Fix the cause of the decline in numbers and then restock if at all necessary .

The future generations will be wild stock that from parents that have chosen their own partners and young birds born into the environment they live in ...gotta be a win win situation.

Just my opinion.

[Myzomela]

And it should be done properly by people who know what they're doing, not by well-meaning but misguided part-timers.
The STGF is backed by proper research undertaken by scientists including ecologists. Captive release programs need to first determine that the habitat is suitable and then that the birds are suitable ie they are pure, disease-free and have acquired the required foraging and predator-avoidance skills. ie it requires a team of professionals backed up by enthusiastic volunteers.

I don't believe that the above-mentioned program had any of these skills, just lots of enthusiasm. There are plenty of examples of poorly researched captive release programs ( eg Thick-billed parrot in USA where all the released birds were killed by predatots within a few weeks), as well as more successful ones eg Pink Pigeons and Echo parakeets in Mauritius.

It can be very frustrating to wait for governments to do anything, but we must make sure that if we are going to do something that we do it properly with the right people.

[jusdeb]

Very true ...good intentions dont cut it without proper research and preparation.

[natamambo]

I don't know what it means, but that article does say the programs is backed by "Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and James Cook University", so it's not simply just some do-gooders with lots of financial backing (no matter what your opinion of QPWS, James Cook has a reputation in research to uphold and is not likely to be going off half baked).

I'm sure STGF do a great job and I have no probs with their methodologies, by STGF methodologies just won't cut it if there are no birds there in the first place.

I don't want mutations or disease appearing in the wild, but properly managed surely there is case for both approaches.

[maz]

The last release that article talks about was in 2005, has anyone got any more recent info on this programme? I wonder how it's going 6 years on and whether the released population actually managed to take a hold, the results from the early releases certainly looked promising but 6 years is a long time in a project like that.

[angus]

Heard somewhere just recently that there was a colony of gouldians that had released in the Hervey Bay region in Queensland . Has any members heard this as well ? cheers

[jusdeb]

Angus Hervey Bay has an impressive colony that forage around the residential areas during the day and can be seen heading out of town each evening .
My father sees them all the time when out walking , they are very used to people and appear to be of a consistent colour ie no visible mutations .

Not known if they are escapees that have done well in the wild or wild birds coming in to town .