| 2010 IUCN Red List Category (as evaluated by BirdLife International - the official Red List Authority for birds for IUCN): Endangered Justification This species is listed as Endangered as it has a small population which has undergone a substantial decline largely because of ongoing habitat modification. The decline may be continuing, albeit at a slower rate. If further evidence is obtained that suggests that the population is no longer in decline, this species may qualify for downlisting to Vulnerable.
Family/Sub-family Estrildidae Species name author (Gould, 1844) Taxonomic source(s) Christidis and Boles (1994), Christidis and Boles (2008), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993) Synonyms Chloebia gouldiae Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Chloebia gouldiae Collar et al. (1994) Identification 11-12.5 cm. Gaudy finch with pointed, black tail. Adult is among the most colourful of birds. Grass-green upper body from lower nape to back and wings, browner remiges. Black, red, or rarely, orange-yellow head and throat, narrowly bordered posteriorly with black and pale blue. Pale blue rump. Purple breast. Bright yellow belly. Whitish bill with red tip. Female duller on underside. Juvenile ashy-grey on head and neck, paler below and olive-grey on upper body and wings. Similar spp. Adult unmistakable. Juvenile more olive and bulkier than other finches. Voice Sibilant sitt, repeated. Hints Gather at waterholes to drink in dry season. |  |
Population estimate | Population trend | Range estimate (breeding/resident) | Country endemic? | 2,000 - 10,000 | decreasing | 101,000 km2 | Yes |
Range & population Erythrura gouldiae is found in northern Australia, with scattered records from Cape York Peninsula through north-west Queensland, but there are more records from the northern region of the Northern Territory to the Kimberley region of Western Australia. In Queensland, it is only known with regularity from one site, although there are irregular reports from elsewhere in its former range. Birds are more numerous in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. The population has been conservatively estimated to be fewer than 2,500 mature individuals at the start of the breeding season. However, it is now thought to be closer to c.10,000 mature individuals1. Monitoring of the population size at the best-known site near Katherine has demonstrated population stability2. Similarly, monitoring at Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary in central Kimberley has shown no evidence of a decline over four years from 2004 to 20073.
| Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria. | Ecology: It lives in open, tropical woodland with a grassy understorey, nesting almost exclusively in tree-hollows. Known breeding habitat in the Northern Territory and Western Australia is characterised by rocky hills with smooth-barked gums Eucalyptus brevifolia or E. tintinnans within two to four kilometres of small waterholes or springs that persist throughout the dry season5. In the non-breeding season, it may occur in a slightly wider variety of woodland habitats. Throughout the year, it feeds mostly on grass seeds, sometimes taking invertebrates3. Dry season feeding habitat is dominated by annual spear grasses or native sorghum Sarga species5. In the wet season birds shift to scattered patches of cockatoo grass Alloteropsis semialata, golden beard grass Chysopogon fallax or spinifex Triodia-dominated communities. Other important wet season grasses include giant spear grass Heteropogon triticeus, white grass Sehima nervosum, ricegrass Xerochloa laniflora and kangaroo grass Themeda triandra5.
| Threats Grazing and altered fire regimes are thought to be the main threats. Cattle and other livestock cause changes in grass species composition and phenology, with the most severe impact probably due to a reduction in the abundance of grass species that set seed earliest in the wet season1. Wet season grasses that are essential to the species are grazed by cattle, horses and feral pigs, whilst cattle and buffalo can degrade waterholes used by the species through trampling and grazing of the surrounding vegetation5. Current fire regimes may be exacerbating the impact of herbivores, obliterating the mosaics of burnt and unburnt habitat the birds require. Fire is known to impact the seed productivity of key wet season grasses that the species relies on during the period of food scarcity that occurs early in the year, and the species also tends not to nest in burnt tree-hollows5. The modern fire regime in northern Australia is dominated by frequent, extensive, hot, late dry season wildfires over large tracts of land5. Trapping may have had a local effect in the past. Infection with the parasitic mite Sternostoma tracheacolum was long thought to be one of the principal reasons for decline. However, it is now considered that it may be indicative of stress to the birds resulting from a broader change at the landscape level that has affected a range of granivore species. Nevertheless, recent short-term increases may represent recovery after an epidemic of the mite4. Climate change is predicted to affect the timing and quantity of wet season rainfall, potentially increasing the frequency or intensity of wildfires, altering the abundance of important grass species and changing the availability of surface water during the dry season5.
| | Conservation measures underway Management actions completed or under way include the implementation of a recovery plan, the establishment of regional operations groups, detailed research on fire, food and movements at Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, Kimberley, the collation and maintenance of a database of all known sight records and a review of the patterns of the distribution, habitats, potential threats and conservation status of savanna granivorous birds. Attempts at reintroduction have so far had equivocal results4. There is an ongoing monitoring programme at four sites1,3.
| | Conservation measures proposed Define the response of grasses and E. gouldiae to a range of pastoral and fire management regimes1,5. Work with landholders to implement those management regimes that are neutral or beneficial1,5. Monitor abundance at key sites throughout its current range, and responses to enhanced management1. Promote the recovery programme and evaluate performance. Control feral herbivores5. Work with the Jawoyn Aboriginal Corporation in implementing fire regimes and control of feral herbivores5. Refine reintroduction methods and investigate factors limiting survival through trial reintroductions at sites in Queensland5. Disseminate information on the recovery programme to stakeholders5.
| References Garnett and Crowley (2000). Donnelly and Lewis (2003). 1. J. Woinarski in litt. (2007). 2. O. Price per Woinarski in litt. (2007). 3. S. Legge in litt. (2007). 4. S. Garnett in litt. (2007). 5. O'Malley (2006).
| Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Stephen Garnett (Charles Darwin University), Rachel McClellan (BirdLife International), Joe Taylor (BirdLife International), Helen Temple (BirdLife International) | Contributors Stephen Garnett (Charles Darwin University), Sarah Legge (Australian Wildlife Conservancy), John Woinarski (Natural Resources, Environment and The Arts, NT) | IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Guy Dutson (Birds Australia), Stephen Garnett (Charles Darwin University), Joe Taylor (BirdLife International) |
| Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Erythrura gouldiae. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 3/9/2010 | This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List. To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums |
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