Lady Gouldian Finches Breeding Tips in 2022

Gorgeous plumage is the primary attraction of the Gouldian finch. A variety of vibrant colors are available for this small bird.

Its stunning plumage is the most appealing aspect of the Gouldian Finch, which is also known as the Lady Gouldian finch and the rainbow finch. Usually differentiated by the color of the head, this creature occurs naturally in a variety of striking colors.

 Among the available types are the black-headed Gouldian, the red-headed Gouldian, and the yellow-headed Gouldian, though some others have distinct naming conventions for body colors. Their colors are less varied in the wild grasslands of Australia, where they originated than they are in captivity. A small percentage of Gouldians have red hair and the majority have black hair. There are a few wild individuals among the Gouldians that have orange hair.

 This impressive little bird was named in 1841 by English ornithologist, John Gould, in honor of his wife, Lady Elizabeth Gould, who decreed it as the most beautiful in the entire world. You can hardly challenge his opinion. Featuring seamless feathering and vivid, painterly hues, the Lady Gouldian finch looks like a handcrafted statuette. A decade later, the species was introduced to Europe and quickly became a popular pet.

Natural Habitat / Native Region

Australian grasslands are home to Gouldian finches. From the 1920s through the 1960s, Gouldian was trapped and exported in large numbers from Australia. In the wild, there was a substantial decline in the Gouldian population due to the exportation of the birds. Cattle grazing and the development of farmland have further decreased the number of mature Gouldian living in the wild, and there are today fewer than 2,500 in the wild. Since they are heavily bred in captivity, they have a high survival rate.

What is the care & feeding of Gouldian Finches?

A quiet bird, the Gouldian sings and peeps a bit like most finches. Even though they make a pleasant sound, they are unlikely to disturb you or your neighbors, though they can be persistent. Providing optimum nutrition, Lafeber's Premium Daily Pellets for finches are granule-sized and perfectly sized for finches.

Behavior & Personality

The Gouldian is a pleasant bird for watching only - they do not like to be handled, and can even panic and die when handled. They are highly vulnerable to stress. As they are normally not raised by hand (except in emergencies), taming will not work well. Watching them works better than holding them. The lifespan of these birds is reported to be between 4 and 6 years if they are properly cared for.

Audio/Visual

A Gouldian is not the easiest of finches to keep since they are significantly less hardy than zebra finches and society finches. Birds are not recommended as first pets for a variety of reasons, including their delicate nature and their vulnerability to illnesses that a novice bird watcher may not recognize until it is too late.

 The Gouldian finch is one of the most challenging finches to breed successfully, due to its slow growth rate and tendency to abandon both eggs and babies or even to refuse to nest at all. Society finches are kept by people who raise Gouldians as foster parents for their eggs and chicks.

 Their parenting abilities are excellent. The eggs are removed from the Gouldians to be placed with the society finches, so plastic eggs can be placed underneath them. Although some Gouldian pairs can produce decent children, others fail to do so. A Gouldian pair needs to be at least a year old before breeding.

 They should nest in small, covered spaces, such as wooden nest boxes or covered baskets. The finch is more likely to use the box because the woven straw poses a danger to its toes, and it is also easier to access. It's best to fill the nest with material to get the parents started because Gouldian don't build great nests. Approximately two weeks after they are laid, finches lay three to six eggs.  

Their housing should permit them to fly since finches need a lot of exercises. Their lifespan will be reduced and they might not have enough exercise to maintain good breeding conditions, which could lead to egg entanglement and even death if the cage is too small. Feeding, watering, and cleaning should be easy with cage doors that aren't too big and can be opened without the finches escaping.

 Lafeber's Premium Daily Diet, which is specifically designed for finches, would be an excellent pelleted food for a finch. In the wild, these birds eat primarily seed, so their diet should consist of high-quality seed mixes supplemented by grubs, greens, egg food, and other vegetables daily. They can consume a small amount of grit and charcoal. The cage should always have a cuttlebone.

Common Conditions & Health Information

Especially when overly stressed, Gouldian finches are susceptible to air-sac mite infection. A veterinarian should be contacted immediately. An infection can be treated successfully if caught early enough. It should also be noted that Gouldian finches can suffer from the scaly face (caused by a mite and characterized by white, scaly spots around their eyes and beaks), which requires visiting a veterinarian. An experienced bird groomer or vet should address overgrown nails or beaks in finches.

Purchase a Gouldian Finch

Even though wild populations are at risk, Gouldian finches have been extensively raised in captivity, so they can be purchased in large pet stores, from avian retail stores, and bird breeders. There are significant differences between the sexes in the Gouldian. It is easy to distinguish the males from the females of this species by their much brighter plumage at maturity.

 The immature Gouldian looks like an apple with a banana skin and is a drab, greenish color. Gender and mutation can only be determined after the birds' first molt, which usually occurs between four and six months after birth. Their fur looks worn and tattered during molting, and they are under a great deal of physical stress.

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