Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes
The Gouldian Finch
Welcome to Part 7 of The Finches of Serenity!
This is our blog series about the stunning finches that call our Serenity aviaries, home.
This post talks about the wildly popular, vibrantly colorful, genuinely kind Gouldian Finch!
Other Common Names
- Rainbow Finch
- Lady Gouldian Finch
- Gould’s Finch
Natural Habitat
You’ll find Lady Gouldian finches in the northern regions of Australia.
More specifically, they live in tropical climates in savannas, woodlands, grasslands, and shrublands.
Unfortunately, their natural habitats are dwindling due to frequent wildfires in those regions.
Physical Characteristics
The male Gouldian finch may be one of the most recognizable finches on Earth.
They grow to about 5 inches from beak to tail. They’re best known for their yellow-orange belly, purple chest, aqua blue and black around their neck and pointed tail, and green on their back and wings.
There are three main color morphs of Lady Gouldian finches. Their plumage colors stay generally consistent, but the color on their heads can be black, orange, or red.
Female Gouldian finches have similar color patterns, but the colors are slightly duller.
Fledglings, on the other hand, are completely dull green.
Bird Song
Male Gouldian finches are beautiful singers, enchanting anyone that comes in contact with them.
Female Gouldian finches, however, can only make simple calling or chirping noises.
Play the video to hear this bird’s wonderful song, a song that enchants those in the facilities we service.
Behavior and Temperament
Gouldian finches are generally social, docile, and gentle.
They love the company of other finches, but since they’re so calm and friendly, they need to be kept with other mild-mannered birds.
They are also not very receptive to being handled by humans.
When we deep clean our client’s bird cages, we give Gouldian finches their space and are very careful when conducting health checks.
Breeding Habits of Gouldian Finches
Gouldian finches lay around four to eight eggs per clutch.
Both parents will incubate them during the day, but the hen takes on full duties at night.
Three to four weeks after hatching, Gouldian fledglings will leave the nest.
And once Gouldians are around 40 days old, they are almost fully independent.
We offer breeding pairs for Lady Gouldians, if available. Their breeding process is more delicate than most finches, so we ensure they’re all safe and healthy.
And as a part of our continued services, we’ll move the fledglings to a new home once they’re too old for the current cage.
Tips for Designing a Gouldian Finch Enclosure
1) Size
For each pair of Lady Gouldians, you should have at least 3-4 square feet of space on the bottom.
These are very active finches so they need a large enclosure to be happy and healthy.
Otherwise, Gouldian finches may become obese, stressed, agitated, depressed, and aggressive.
2) Shape
Because they enjoy flying back and forth, the length of their enclosure is more important than the height.
Also, avoid using rounded edges for the structure, as this removes some of their available space.
3) Materials
Chewing and ingesting materials can be an issue for finches in an aviary.
The structure should be free of softwood, paint, untreated steel, and soft plastics.
By using high-grade materials, like solid oak, stainless steel wire, and high-grade laminate panels, Serenity Aviaries don’t allow for chewing or ingestion.
4) Features and Accessories
You need food and water access, ventilation, adequate internal temperature, and lighting for a comfortable Gouldian.
Additional accessories like nests, swings, and branches are also needed for their rest and entertainment.
NOTE: Finches feel safer when they’re higher up, especially in an aviary. We position their nests, branches, and swings as high up in the aviary as possible.
Looking for Your Hassle-Free Aviary?
At Serenity, we handcraft spacious aviaries for business facilities in the US.
We also include the birds, feeders, decor, and provide routine services!
The Services We Provide:
- Remove and replace bedding.
- Clean droppings tray.
- Wipe down all surfaces.
- Scrub all cracks and crevices.
- Sanitize and rotate accessories.
- Sanitize and replenish the Infinity Feeder.
- Thoroughly rinse and dry the enclosure.
Next Up: The Zebra Finch!
Thank you for visiting our blog!
We will continue our finch-focused blog series on Tuesday, August 29th, so check back in to learn about the Zebra Finch!
Also, keep an eye out for our other informative blog posts on birds, aviaries, fish, and aquariums!
