Poephila cincta
The Black-throated Finch (Poephila cincta) is a small, highly social Australian estrildid finch, typically measuring 10-12 cm in length and weighing between 12-18 grams. It is readily identified by its distinctive grey head, a prominent black throat patch, a clean white belly, and an olive-brown back, complemented by striking black flanks and a bright white rump contrasting with a short black tail. Its bill is a noticeable pinkish-orange. Minimal sexual dimorphism exists, with males sometimes...
This finch primarily inhabits dry tropical savannas, open woodlands, and native grasslands, particularly those with a grassy understory, scattered trees, and reliable access to permanent water sources. They are typically found at low elevations.
Their diet consists predominantly of various grass seeds, meticulously gleaned from the ground or directly from grass heads. During the breeding season, they supplement this with a small number of insects, particularly termites.
Black-throated Finches are highly social and diurnal, often foraging in noisy flocks of 10-50 individuals, which can swell to several hundred outside the breeding season. They are primarily ground-foragers, meticulously gleaning fallen seeds or plucking them directly from grass heads, moving with...
The Black-throated Finch is endemic to Australia, historically inhabiting a broad swathe of Queensland and northeastern New South Wales. Today, its range is severely contracted and fragmented. The nominate subspecies, *P. c. cincta* (southern Black-throated Finch), is now largely restricted to a ...
Endangered
- The southern subspecies (*P. c. cincta*) is critically endangered, with only a single, highly fragmented wild population remaining near Townsville, Queensland. - They are highly water-dependent and must drink at least once a day, making consistent access to permanent water sources absolutely cr...