You couldn’t say there is a more vibrantly coloured bird than a Gouldian finch. They can be found in the northern region of Australia which is a tropical area.  They live in the savanna woodland near the mangroves and water.  Unfortunately these stunning birds are an endangered species.  The Australian government said that as a best estimate the Gouldian finch population living in the wild is about 2500 mature birds.  Australia has banned the exportation of finches for decades.

The Gouldian finch is about 5” to 5 1/2 inches in size.  The male of the species has a more stunning coat than that of the female.  He also carries a longer center tail feather.

Gouldian finches are more trouble to breed and care for than breeds like society finches and the zebra.  If you are a first time owner then a Gouldian finch is not for you, especially if you have never owned any birds at all.

Like many other finches, the Gouldian finch has a lovely, soft chirp.  There aren’t many finches that like to be handled or held.  If you are looking for a pet bird to share in your family life, then the Gouldian finch is not the bird for you.  If you decide that such a beautiful bird as a Gouldian finch should be seen by you everyday, then buy them in pairs to allow them to satisfy their social needs as they are sociable birds.  If you are looking for a finch that sings, only the males do and not all sound terrific.

Colour variations of Gouldian finches occur ……. only on their head, so the three variations in color are the black headed, yellow headed and the red headed.  It was once thought that they were three distinct species but it is known today that they are the same finch with different colors.  The most common of the three is the black headed Gouldian finch.

The female of the species is not as brightly hued as her husband.  The thought behind this is that the female will attract less notice when she is sitting on her nest and the brighter male can distract any predators who want to prey on the nest to ensure the survival of the nestlings.

Like any other species of finch, the Gouldian finch eats seeds.  Their preferred food is on tall grasses, not on the ground.  They are also known to feast on insects like termites, spiders, beetles and flies.  The Gouldian finch usually nests in holes like a termite mound or in the hollow of a tree.  They are even known to build their nest in tall grass.  The nests are usually situated near water and they breed usually during the last days of the rainy season.

The clutch of the Gouldian finch usually contains from 4-8 eggs.  The male and female brood the eggs during the day, but at night the female will sit on the eggs.  When the eggs are ready to hatch, both parents take on the roll of caretakers and cooperate in the raising of the nestlings.

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