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Found
most abundantly in its natural habitat, the tropical part
of North Australia, the Gouldian averages 5 inches in length
and comes in several color variations. As is common in the
avian world, the male is the more strikingly vivid of the
two sexes. Females tend to have duller, paler coloration,
especially on the chest. The different color varieties of
the Gouldian are not geographical races, as different color
strains are known to live together and interbreed.
The most
brilliant coloring occurs on the red-headed Gouldian finch,
which is also the bird most widely available in the United
States. A circle of black, which widens and lengthens underneath
to become a black throat, surrounds the bright red head.
The most
common variation found in the wild is the black-headed Gouldian
finch, so named because the entire facial region features
a precise circle of black, originating at the base of the
crown and extending downward to include the throat and cheeks.
Both varieties
have black eyes encircled by a pale turquoise-gray eye ring.
The bill is pearl-colored with bright pinkish-red on the tips,
the front of the upper mandible, and the outer portion of
the lower mandible. A line of brilliant turquoise surrounds
the black facial region - narrow on the throat and thicker
on the rear of the crown. The back, wings and neck are bright
green shading into brilliant turquoise-blue on the rump and
elongated tail coverts, forming a V-shape section covering
most of the blackish tail except the long central shafts.
Underneath, a wide band of light purple extends across the
chest from just under the fine line of turquoise to the middle
of the chest. Deep yellow extends down to the abdomen and
fades into white.
In the wild, the black-headed outnumbers the red-headed four
to one. In time, it is expected that the red-headed will entirely
replace the black-headed because it is the dominant mutation.
The yellow-headed
Gouldian finch, which resembles the red-headed but has a dull,
rusty-orange color in place of the red is the least popular
variety and is rarely seen in the wild. Were it not for the
perpetuation of the variety by those in search of novelty,
the mutated race would never have become established.
There
are a number of other well-established color variations including
varieties with white chests and others with blue bodies.
Caring
for the Gouldian
Gouldians
don't like to be handled, and therefore don't make good pets,
but the variety and sharp contrasts of color of the bird's
plumage make it an attention-getting favorite for hobbyists.
Their gentle nature only augments their popularity. The Gouldian
finch tends to be quiet, bordering on lethargic, and is relatively
easy to care for. It does, however, need heated quarters,
as these finches cannot tolerate cold temperatures. For imported
birds, the recommended temperature for their quarters during
the first few days of captivity is from 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
The temperature can gradually be lowered but should never
be allowed to fall below 45 degrees.
The ideal
temperature for breeding is above 77 degrees Fahrenheit. While
there are differences among breeders concerning space needs,
the general consensus is that each pair should be provided
with a flight at least 6 feet long. Mixed collections are
not favorable for breeding Gouldians.
The Gouldian's
diet should consist of the standard finch diet, which tends
to be high in yellow finch millet. Green foods, soaked and
sprouted seeds, as well as poppy and lettuce seeds are also
accepted. They do not seem to favor soft foods like mealworms
or flour worms, but providing them improves breeding success.
Avoid white millet as it can cause illness and even death
among Goudians.
With minimal
care and attention, these striking birds can add vibrant flashes
of color to your aviary.
Kelly
Stevens Childs is a writer living in Washington.
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