Gouldian Finch

Scientific Name: Chloebia gouldiae, sometimes known as Poephila gouldiae

A particularly colourful, beautiful speciesof finch which exhibits well and is peace-ful with other species. It can be housedoutdoors during the summer months, butis best housed indoors unless kept in awarm climate. A mean temperature of15°C (60°F) should be maintained forbest results. Although it can be acclima-tised to live without heat, it must alwaysbe protected from draughts. It is oftenlethargic so should be encouraged to takeexercise by placing perches some distanceapart.

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.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 andstomach: saffron-yellow. Back of headand 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 sex. Since Gouldians are reputed to he difficult to keep alive, only fully moulted out, adult specimens should be purchased for breeding pur-poses.

Diet: (Seedeater)

Best quality mixed millets and small plaincanary seed form the basic diet. Proprietary brand foreign finch mix may bepurchased for this bird. Greenfood isdesirable, but is not always taken, andgrit and flaked cuttlefish bone are essen-tial. Granulated charcoal should also beprovided, as it is enjoyed by this species.Many fanciers prefer to feed soaked orsprouted seed both during and outsidethe breeding season. The Gouldian Finchshould always be given cold, boiled tapwater to drink.

Breeding:

The courtship dance of the Gouldian Finch is interesting to watch: he jumps upland 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, 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 in16 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 seed.

Young Gouldian's are colored gray at first and do not attain full mature colorant almost a year of age. The juvenile moult is particularly difficult for this species. They should nor be fed entire lyon hard seed until they have gone through this moult.

The Gouldian should not be bred until fully adult (usually 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 condition known as 'twirling', which Griever: Cardinal

only seems to occur in Gouldian's. The bird swings its head and neck around in 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 in-breeding.