Natural Diet: Like other finches, Gouldian Finches are seed eaters. Very young birds also have blue, shiny structures on the sides of their beaks to help their parents see them in the dark.
Newly hatched Gouldian finches are pink and naked until about 12 days old when the beginnings of feathers start to appear. Their heads, sides and necks are grey, and their backs, wings and tail feathers are olive green. One major difference between the sexes is that the male’s chest is purple, while the female’s is a lighter mauve color. The females tend to be less brightly colored. The beak is flesh-colored overall, however, once the adults are in breeding condition, their beak tips turn either reddish, orangish, or blackish.
Selective breeding has also developed mutations (blue, yellow and silver instead of green back) in body and chest color. People used to think they were three different kinds of finches, but now it is known that they are color variants that exist in the wild. Gouldian Finches’ heads may be red, black, or yellow. Plumage Details / Adultsīoth males and females are brightly colored with black, green, yellow, red and other colors. Gouldian Finches measure about 4.7 – 5.9 inches (12 – 15 cm) in length (including the tail) and weigh about 0.49 – 0.53 oz (14 – 15 g). They are very popular in captivity, but they endangered species in their natural habitat – with less than 2,500 of them remaining. In the dry season they are more nomadic and will move to wherever there is food and water. These flocks may consist of up to 1000–2000 individuals.ĭuring the breeding season they are usually found on rough scree slopes where vegetation is sparse. In the wild, the Gouldians frequently gather in flocks – probably to protect against predation. The birds are nomadic within a relatively small area of approx 40 sq kilometers and only move when water or food become scarce. These stunning little finches are native to northern Australia, with scattered records from the Cape York Peninsula through north-west Queensland and the Northern Territory to the Kimberley region of Western Australia. They were named for Elizabeth Gould, the wife of the British ornithological artist John Gould. The Gouldian Finches ( Erythrura gouldiae) are also known as the Painted Finches, Purple-breasted Finches, Rainbow Finches, Gould’s Finches or Lady Gouldian Finches.
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