Aussie Finch Forum

Hello all,

My name is Stanley, and I have just started my PhD research on the Black-throated Finch, as the wild population of the Southern subspecies, white-rumped P. c. cincta is in great decline and has been listed as endangered/vulnerable under state and national legislation.

My research is focusing on the genetic diversity of this species, looking at the population structure of both the northern and the southern forms. Although my research is primarily based on wild populations, I am hoping to collect some samples from captive populations that were recently or purely inherited from either the northern or the southern subspecies. It is aiming to find out whether captive black-throats are genetically different from the wild ones.

If you are interested in my project, or if you do have some black-throats in your aviaries, or you know anyone who does, you are mostly welcome to contact me by email: [email protected].

Cheers, Stanley

Welcome Stanley. Good to see someone taking the decline of of our native finches seriously and involving aviculturalists in your research.

Hi, welcome to the forum.
We have members that keep the Black-throated Finch so Im sure you will get some responses.

Welcome to the forum Stanley.

welcome to the forum

Welcome. We have a few Biology types on here. And a few students.
LML

Welcome,
I lived and kept Australian finches in Mundingburra for 17 years during the 1970's and 1980's and spent a lot of time finch watching in the bush along the Ross river and around the back of Mount Stuart areas . They tell me the area is all suburbs covered with houses now. Such a shame for the birds. This should be an awesome thesis. Where can I keep up with your progress and More detail of what you are researching? Will it involve DNA research?
I am sure there are many people on this forum who would be keen to assist in whatever way they can. Just ask.

Good luck with your thesis and research.

Hi Lonchura,

Thanks for ur post. Yes, the wild finches living around townsville are declining fast - not just BTF, but also the crimson finches, double-barred, zebra finches...Hardly to see any of them these days.

My thesis is looking at how landscape changes affect the black-throats population genetic structure. So, yeah, it will involve quite a bit of DNA stuff.

I only started the project a few months back and still in the initial planning stage, but hopefully the fieldwork will start soon. I am not really updating my research progress on any public website due to some confidential issues. However, I am planning to present my results (once I get them) at conferences or even to communities that are interested.

I am actually looking for any Black-throated finch breeders around townsville. Hope to keep some in my aviary - good for some close-up observations.

Cheers, Stanley

Lonchura wrote:Welcome,
I lived and kept Australian finches in Mundingburra for 17 years during the 1970's and 1980's and spent a lot of time finch watching in the bush along the Ross river and around the back of Mount Stuart areas . They tell me the area is all suburbs covered with houses now. Such a shame for the birds. This should be an awesome thesis. Where can I keep up with your progress and More detail of what you are researching? Will it involve DNA research?
I am sure there are many people on this forum who would be keen to assist in whatever way they can. Just ask.

Good luck with your thesis and research.