The Black-throated Finch (BTF) southern subspecies (Poephila cincta cincta) is a granivorous bird threatened by multiple land use changes across its range. It inhabits tropical and subtropical savannas in Australia, and has lost habitat due to conversion of land to agriculture, urban development and mining. The remaining habitat has been altered through livestock grazing, changes in fire regimes and invasive grasses. Understanding the factors that influence the distribution and abundance of this species is crucial for improving habitat condition and mitigating further decline. The PhD Project will focus on understanding habitat quality of the Black-throated Finch southern subspecies (Poephila cincta cincta) and will investigate the habitat requirements of the BTF, the factors that influence its habitat quality, and how the habitat quality changes with rainfall and subsequent food availability. The project would also investigate the efficacy of management actions such as fire management, weed control and revegetation in creating or maintaining suitable habitat for BTF.
Qualifications:
Masters in Ecology, Ornithology, GIS, or a related field. Desired skills include: Bird survey, capture, handling and banding; GIS, R; experience in publishing in peer-reviewed journals
Compensation:
A scholarship is available.
Webpage.To Apply:
Please send Expressions of Interest with your CV to Prof Lin Schwarzkopf lin.schwarzkopf@jcu.edu.au
Number of Openings:
1