Gouldian Finch

Chloebia gouldiae

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The Gouldian finch is probably the most colourful bird in Australia: green, yellow, purple, turquoise and black laid out in sharp blocks. It has a notable genetic peculiarity: the head may be black, red or yellow within the same population, and those morphs behave almost as if they were separate species. It depends on spinifex seeds and on eucalypt hollows for nesting, and its wild populations fell sharply during the twentieth century.

Weight

14 g – 17 g

Size

13 cm – 15 cm

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

SavannaGrasslandHerbivore Diurnal In pairs Near Threatened Bird Savanna Grassland

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Fun facts

GeneralIts wild populations come with black, red or yellow heads.
Head colour is a genetic trait with social consequences: individuals prefer to pair with their own morph, and mixed pairs produce female offspring with lower survival, a case of genetic incompatibility within a single species.
The chicks have tubercles at the corners of the bill that catch the light like small phosphorescent beads, guiding the parents to their mouths inside the dark hollow of the nest.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Tropical savannah with tall grass, and open woodland
Birth weight: Altricial: born blind, naked or with sparse down and entirely dependent
Size at birth: Altricial: born blind, naked or with sparse down and entirely dependent
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 14 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 5 eggs