Gouldian hens come in four body colors: green, yellow, blue, and silver. Though they are intelligent, their reluctance to be held makes them difficult for training to perch on your finger. I got my first pair of Gouldian finches in 2006 – I was hooked on the vibrant colors and the silly courtship dance. Finches can also have overgrown nails or beaks, which should be addressed by an experienced bird groomer or vet. The Gouldian chicks are a drab or olive green or grey color until their first molt. Gouldian finches are social birds that love interacting with other finches but do not tolerate human handling. In their opinion, the current state is a sort of a transition before the development of two independent species. Gouldian finches can also be susceptible to scaly face (a condition caused by a mite that presents as white, scaly areas around the beak/eyes, as well as the legs), which warrants a call to the vet. Description What is a Gouldian Finch?. While there is only one species of this bird, there are three variations to the feathers on their faces. Also, be sure bar spacing is appropriate for smaller birds, finches can get stuck or even escape in cages with bars spaced for larger birds such as parrots. The Gouldian Finch, also known as the rainbow finch, is the most colorful of all the different types of finches. The Gouldian is dimorphic, meaning that there’s a … A guide to identifying Gouldian Mutations in the nest The following information was recently published in the Sept/Oct 2011 Journal Issue of the National Finch & Softbill Society. You can also see their ear openings as well as the color of their florescent nodules. Illustrated explanation of the genetics of body color inheritance in the lady gouldian finch. Get a Gouldian Finch. If you do have a taller, shorter cage make sure to put food and water towards the bottom of the cage so the birds can get exercise by flying up and down. The first feathers to develop on a chick may not look anything like the adult bird. Although there wild populations are at risk, Gouldian finches have been extensively in captivity and, therefore, are readily available in large pet stores, from avian retail stores and through bird breeders. Gouldian Finch colour mutations Utilising the terminology suggested in A Guide to Gouldian Finches and Their Mutations (2005) from ABK Publications. But, of the finch species, Gould's finches are one of the calmest finches, so with enough persistence, you might be able to get them to come to you. It got me off to a great start with learning about mutations. In captivity, they usually nest in … Body Color Inheritance This article and all included graphics are copyright FinchInfo.com and may not be reproduced or retransmitted without written permission from the author of this site! There are three natural color mutations of the Gouldian Finch: red-headed, yellow-headed, and black-headed. Their body is a creamy yellow to a white color. The green in the blue back is replaced by blue. Some breeders use foster parents such as Bengalese to rear the young Gouldians while others have no problem producing parent reared birds. In a Blue-back mutation Gouldian the 2 inner nodules are always white. In Normal and Yellow-back Gouldian chicks, the 2 center nodules are yellow, while the 4 outer nodules are always blue. Early Identification of Gouldian Mutations . The main color […] This book is, in my view, the best and most complete guide to Gouldian Finch genetics available. The blue breasted gouldian is quite difficult to breed out of all the gouldian mutations successfully due to it being such a recessive gene. Gouldian Finches have a reputation for being trickier to breed than some finch species but this varies depending on breeder experience.