Finches moving out

In this bicennential year for the birth of Darwin - its nice to have some good news about one of the species that has taken up his name. The mangrove finch which is one of the famous Darwin's finches is also Critically Endangered. Specialised in using mangrove habitat, its numbers have dwindled over the years to a current low of fewer than 100. Its seems that decline of habitat quality, disease and rats have had the major impact on the species.

Birgit Fessl, who is leading a Darwin project for Durrell on the mangrove finch, has been studying the birds and their threats. She has led the development of rat control procedures with the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galapagos National Park, and has been developing techniques to breed the finches in captivity for re-introduction in the future.

News just in - Birgit and her fieldworkers have found young finches in patches of mangrove between the two main populations, that were previously empty. It seems that the finches have now reached a level in the main mangrove areas that young are moving out and looking for new habitat. This is great news as it seems that the rat control measures are working. Its early days yet - but it seems that 2009 could be another successful year for the finches.