Gouldian Finch

 

Characteristics

The Gouldian Finch is up to 15cm in size and weighs about 15g, as a full-grown adult. Males are darker in colour than females. The gender can be distinguished by the colour of the breast and sometimes face. They have many colours.

•                Juvenile vs Adult: The juveniles are plain and washed out; the adults have a green upper body from the lower nape to the back and wings, a pale blue rump and a purple breast. The belly is bright yellow, and the bill is whitish, with a red or yellow tip. There are three distinct colour variations in the Gouldian finch, with individuals having either a red, black or yellow head.

•                Male vs Female: The female’s beak turns dark during breeding season and the male's head is a darker, richer colour, whereas females are usually lighter in colour around the head and neck. The females are lighter in colour around the breast and males have a blue collar.

 

Food Webs

The Gouldian Finch is a feral herbivore. Its predators include other birds and feral cats. It is a predator and preys on insects, worms and insect larvae. Organisms that it competes with include other grazing animals that eat a lot of grass such as cows. They compete for resources such as different species of grass.

 

Distribution

The Gouldian Finch is occasionally found in topical northern areas from Derby, Western Australia, the Gulf of Carpentaria and thinly to central Cape York Peninsula, but is locally common in the northern parts of Australia and a little bit in Western Australia. In the Northern Territory, it is found mainly around the top end in Kakadu National Park. Gouldian Finches are rarely far from water so they are found near mangroves, bushes and the savannas dotted with trees.

 

Abundance

The largest known wild population of the species is found near Wyndham in the eastern Kimberley. The Wyndham Important Bird Area is a 28km2 area that has been identified by Bird Life International. The abundance has been stable for the last five years. When they were decreasing it was because of fires that wiped out the grass that they ate.

 

Impacts

The Gouldian Finch is native to Australia. It is protected by EPBC and ICNU. Although its numbers have been stable for the last five years, it is considered an endangered animal. Bush fires usually wipe out its food source as welll as some of the bird population. They are also eaten by other birds and feral cats. Humans also tend to catch these birds to keep as pets and their farm animals tend to eat up the grasses that they eat.

 

Behaviour

The Gouldian Finch breeds in small social colonies. They are the only grass finch that nests exclusively in tree hollows or in termite mounds. Some finches aren’t born natural parents so when it comes to having chicks they panic and can kill their young. They are rarely far from fresh water. They are a quiet and rarely heard, but have a high pitched squawk. They are not territorial and are commonly overpowered by their small size. The Gouldian Finch is a very attractive bird with lots of colours; this causes people to poach them causing this bird to be in danger.