Gouldian Finch
Scientific Name: Chloebia gouldiae, sometimes known as Poephila gouldiae
A particularly colourful, beautiful species of finch which exhibits well and is peaceful with other species. It can be housed outdoors during the summer months but is best housed indoors unless kept in a warm climate. A mean temperature of 15 °C (60°F) should be maintained for best the results. Although it can be acclimatised to live without heat, it must always be protected from draughts. It is often lethargic so should be encouraged to take exercise by placing perches some distance apart.
Description:
Size: 13 cm (5 in)
Three colour forms exist the Red-Headed Gouldian, Black-Headed Goul-dian and Yellow-Headed Gouldian. There is also a White-Breasted mutation. The basic colours of the description are the same, as only the head colour differs. Example: Red-Headed Gouldian.
COCK:
Lower neck, mantle and wings: green.Chest: bright purple. Lower breast and stomach: saffron-yellow. Back of head and rump: lilac. Face and head: red bordered with black. Beak: cream. Legs: flesh colour.
HEN:
Similar, but her chest is pale mauve. Other colours are slightly duller. Adult birds are easy to have sex with. Since Gouldians are reputed to be difficult to keep alive, only fully moulted out, adult specimens should be purchased for breeding purposes.
Diet: (Seedeater)
Best-quality mixed millets and small plain canary seeds form the basic diet. Proprietary brand foreign finch mix may be purchased for this bird. Greenwood is desirable but is not always taken, and grit and flaked cuttlefish bone are essential. Granulated charcoal should also be provided, as it is enjoyed by this species. Many fanciers prefer to feed soaked or sprouted seeds both during and outside the breeding season. The Gouldian Finch should always be given cold, boiled tap water to drink.
Breeding:
The courtship dance of the Gouldian Finch is interesting to watch: he jumps up and down on the perch trilling to his hen, who, if agreeable, quivers her tail in response.
Open-fronted nest boxes with light entrances, or globular wicker baskets, are reaccepted as nest sites. Some pairs make fine nests from long grasses inside the box while others carry very little nesting material inside.
Six eggs are normally laid and both parents take turns in the incubation after the third egg is laid. The young hatch in 16 days. The chicks have luminous mouth spots to aid their parents in feeding inside the dark of the nest. The hen sits in the nest with the chicks while the cock guards the entrance.
Parents rear their chicks with the aid of brown bread soaked in milk and/or soaked and sprouted seeds.
Young Gouldians are coloured grey at first and do not attain full mature colourant until almost a year of age. The juvenile moult is particularly difficult for this species. They should not be fed entire lyon hard seed until they have gone through this moult.
The Gouldian should not be bred until fully adult (one year). Hens assume a black cast on the tip of the beak when ready for breeding. Pair bonding is very strong in this species. Separate pairs after breeding each year to give them arrest, but make sure the bird is reunited with the correct partner.
Sometimes this species is afflicted withal a condition known as ‘twirling’, which Griever: Cardinal
only seems to occur in Gouldian’s. The bird swings its head and neck around in an acicular fashion. This can lead to premature death. Never use such a bird for breeding. The cause is not certain but may be attributed to inbreeding.
See more: Golden Fronted Fruit Sucker