About Poephila cincta (Gould, 1837)
The black-throated finch (Poephila cincta, first described by Gould in 1837) measures around 10 cm (4 inches) in length. This species has a short black bill, lores, and throat, which is sharply outlined against the rest of its pale grey head. Its wings, breast, and belly are pale pinkish brown. The short tail is black; northern populations have a black rump, while southern populations have a white rump. The vocalisations of P. cincta are similar to those of its close sister species Poephila acuticauda, but are lower in tone and slightly more complex in harmonic structure. Up to twelve distinct calls have been identified for this species, and both the structure and tone of the calls differ between subspecies.
Traditionally, the black-throated finch ranged from Cape York south through eastern Queensland, and into north-eastern New South Wales near the town of Tenterfield. No individuals have been recorded in New South Wales since 1994. The species is either sedentary or locally nomadic, and inhabits grassy open forested habitats, most often located near bodies of water such as rivers.
Black-throated finches form flocks of up to 30 birds. Their behaviour is similar to that of the closely related long-tailed finch Poephila acuticauda: they form close pair bonds that live either separately or gather into loose groups made up of six or more pairs. They forage within a home range centered on their nest site, which is used for breeding as well as for roosting outside of the breeding season. Depending on local and seasonal conditions, pairs may gather in larger groups at limited resources, particularly food and water. During drought, they may join large flocks to travel to available water sources.
