| Gouldian finch | |
|---|---|
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| Adult red-headed male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Estrildidae |
| Genus: | Chloebia Reichenbach, 1862 |
| Species: | C. gouldiae |
| Binomial name | |
| Chloebia gouldiae (Gould, 1844) | |
 | |
| Distribution | |
| Synonyms [3] | |
| |
The Gouldian finch (Chloebia gouldiae), also known as the Gould's finch or the rainbow finch, is a colourful passerine bird that is native to Australia.
The Gouldian finch was described by British ornithologist John Gould in 1844 as Amadina gouldiae, [3] in honour of his deceased wife Elizabeth. [4] [5] Specimens of the bird were sent to him by British naturalist Benjamin Bynoe, although they had been described some years before by French naturalists Jacques Bernard Hombron and Honoré Jacquinot. [6] It is also known as the rainbow finch, Gould's finch, or sometimes just Gould. [7] The Gouldian finch is sister to the parrotfinches in the genus Erythrura . [8]
Both sexes are brightly coloured with black, green, yellow, and red markings. The females tend to be less brightly coloured. One major difference between the sexes is that the male's chest is purple, while the female's is a lighter mauve. [9]
Gouldian finches are about 125–140 mm (4.9–5.5 in) long. [10] Their heads may be red, black, or yellow. Formerly considered three different kinds of finches, it is now known that these are colour variants of one species that exist in the wild. [11] Selective breeding has also developed mutations (blue, yellow and silver instead of a green back) in both body and breast colour. [12]
There are several "prominent rounded tubercles" with an "opalescent lustre" at the back of the gape. These tubercles are commonly (and incorrectly) described as phosphorescent in spite of much scientific evidence to the contrary. [13] It is believed that these tubercles simply reflect light and are not luminescent. [13]
Gouldian finches are native to northern Australia, [14] in particular the Kimberley and Northern Territory. [15]
Prior to the Australian government's ban on the export of Australian fauna, [16] Gouldian finches were exported worldwide, which has resulted in viable captive breeding populations being held in many countries.[ citation needed ]
This species has been considered an Endangered species by the Australian Government in the last two "Endangered Species Act"s - the Australian Endangered Species Protection Act (ESPA) of 1992 [17] and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, 1999. [2] Its status on the IUCN Red List is currently Least concern, but it was considered to be endangered previously: Threatened in 1988, EN in six assessments between 1994 and 2008, and Near threatened in three assessments between 2012 and 2016. [1]
The number of Gouldian finches in the wild decreased dramatically in the 20th century due to human-caused habitat loss. [18] [15] The population went from hundreds of thousands in the early 20th century to 2,500 or fewer by the 1980's. [18] The current estimated population continues to be 2,500 or fewer birds. [15] Early research suggested that a parasite called the air sac mite was responsible for the species' decline, but the mite is no longer considered a major factor.[ citation needed ] The primary threat to wild Gouldian finch populations is an increase in extensive wildfires in the late dry season of its native habitat, which negatively impacts the availability of both tree hollows for breeding, and the seeds that comprise the bulk of the Gouldian finch's diet. [15] [19] Cyclones and climate change have also negatively impacted tree hollow availability in the Northern Territory. [20]
Outside the breeding season, Gouldian finches often join mixed flocks consisting of long-tailed finches and masked finches. Flocks can consist of up to 1,000–2,000 individuals. [21] During the breeding season, they are normally found on rough scree slopes where vegetation is sparse. In the dry season, they are much more nomadic and will move to wherever their food and water can be found. [21]
Like other finches, the Gouldian finch is a seed eater. They eat up to 30% of their bodyweight each day. [22] During the breeding season, Gouldian finches mainly feed on ripe and half-ripe grass seeds of sorghum. During the dry season, they mainly forage on the ground for seeds. During the wet season, spinifex grass seed ( Triodia sp.) is an important part of their diet. So far Gouldians have been recorded eating six different species of grass seed, but researchers have yet to find evidence of insect consumption. [23]
Gouldian finches will usually make their nests in tree hollows. They usually breed in the early part of the dry season, when there is plenty of food available. [24] When a male is courting a female, he bobs about and ruffles his feathers in an attempt to show off his bright colours. He will expand his chest and fluff out the feathers on his forehead. After mating, the female will lay a clutch of about 4–8 eggs. Both parents help brood the eggs during the daytime, and it is the female who stays on the eggs at night. When the eggs hatch, both parents care for the young. Gouldian finches leave the nest after between 19 and 25 days and are completely independent at 40 days old. [24]
Gouldian finches have brightly coloured gapes and call loudly when the parent birds return so that they are able to find and feed their mouths in the dark nest. [25]
It has been shown that female Gouldian finches from Northern Australia can control the sex of their offspring by choosing mates according to their head colour. A certain amount of genetic incompatibility between black and red-headed birds can result in high mortality (up to 80%) in female offspring when birds of different head colours mate. If the female mates with a finch of different head colour, this genetic incompatibility can be addressed by over-producing sons, up to a ratio of four males to one female. This is one of the first proven instances of birds biasing the sex of their offspring to overcome genetic weaknesses. [26] [27]
Gouldian finches are a popular species in aviculture because of their striking colours and low care requirements. [24] Gouldian finches get along well with other species of grass finch and some other docile species of bird, such as waxbills and parrot finches. [28]
In the Kimberley District of Western Australia, where most wild Gouldian finch were trapped for aviculture, it was often reported as one of the more common of the eleven finch species. Until 1977, it was trapped in greater numbers than any other finch. From 1897, when finch trapping started in the Kimberley, it was the most sought after finch by trappers and the most desired by fanciers. Between the years 1934 and 1939, the Gouldian finch was the most exported single finch species. The Perth Zoo exported 22,064 finches of which 12,509 were Gouldian. Private dealers exported 35,315 finches, of which 14,504 were Gouldian. The number of finches taken in the 1958 finch trapping season was the largest for one year, of the 38,649 finches taken, 11,286 were Gouldian. The last licensed trapping of Gouldian finch in Western Australia was on 15 November 1981. In that year's finch trapping season, of the 23,450 finches taken 1,054 were Gouldian. [29] However, it is now illegal to export these birds from Australia. [30]
The Gouldian finch is used as the basis of the ViewSonic logo. [31]
The red-rumped parrot, also known as the red-backed parrot or grass parrot, is a medium-sized broad-tailed parrot endemic to open woodland in south-eastern Australia, particularly in the Murray-Darling Basin. It is a highly sexually dimorphic species, with the adult female mainly being a greyish olive-green with lighter underparts and the adult male predominantly being a brightly coloured green and gold with various shades of blue on the wings. Only the adult male possesses the red rump that gives the species its common name.
The Eurasian siskin is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Eurosiberia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers.
The northern red bishop or orange bishop is a small passerine bird in the family Ploceidae. It is part of the largest genus in the family with over 60 different species. Its sister species is the Southern red bishop. This species is most recognizable by the bright reddish orange with contrasting black plumage displayed by the breeding male. It is most common throughout the northern African continent but has also been introduced to areas in the western hemisphere.
Plumage is a layer of feathers that covers a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage differ between species and subspecies and may vary with age classes. Within species, there can be different colour morphs. The placement of feathers on a bird is not haphazard but rather emerges in organized, overlapping rows and groups, and these feather tracts are known by standardized names.
The orange-bellied parrot is a small parrot endemic to southern Australia, and one of only three species of parrot that migrate. It was described by John Latham in 1790. A small parrot around 20 cm (8 in) long, it exhibits sexual dimorphism. The adult male is distinguished by its bright grass-green upper parts, yellow underparts and orange belly patch. The adult female and juvenile are duller green in colour. All birds have a prominent two-toned blue frontal band and blue outer wing feathers.
The blue-billed duck is a small Australian stiff-tailed duck, with both the male and female growing to a length of 40 cm (16 in). The male has a slate-blue bill which changes to bright-blue during the breeding season, hence the duck's common name. The male has deep chestnut plumage during breeding season, reverting to a dark grey. The female retains black plumage with brown tips all year round. The duck is endemic to Australia's temperate regions, inhabiting natural inland wetlands and also artificial wetlands, such as sewage ponds, in large numbers. It can be difficult to observe due to its cryptic nature during its breeding season through autumn and winter. The male duck exhibits a complex mating ritual. The blue-billed duck is omnivorous, with a preference for small aquatic invertebrates. BirdLife International has classified this species as Least concern. Major threats include drainage of deep permanent wetlands, or their degradation as a result of introduced fish, peripheral cattle grazing, salinization, and lowering of ground water.
The golden-headed cisticola, also known as the bright-capped cisticola, is a species of warbler in the family Cisticolidae, found in Australia and thirteen Asian countries. Growing to 9–11.5 cm (3.5–4.5 in) long, it is usually brown and cream in colour, but has a different appearance during the mating season, with a gold-coloured body and a much shorter tail. It is an omnivore and frequently makes a variety of vocalizations. Known as the "finest tailor of all birds", it constructs nests out of plants and spider threads. It mates in the rainy season. It has a very large range and population, which is thought to be increasing.
The red-winged parrot is a parrot native to Australia and New Guinea. It is found in grasslands, savannah, farmland, and woodland.
The Australian bustard is a large ground-dwelling bird that is common in grassland, woodland and open agricultural country across northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It stands at about one metre high, and its wingspan is around twice that length. The species is nomadic, flying to areas when food becomes plentiful, and capable of travelling long distances. They were once widespread and common to the open plains of Australia, but became rare in regions that have been used for farming. The bustard is omnivorous, mostly consuming the fruit or seed of plants, but also eating invertebrates such as crickets, grasshoppers, smaller mammals, birds and reptiles.
The red-eared firetail, also known as the boorin, is a small finch-like species of bird. It occurs in dense wetland vegetation of coastal to sub-coastal regions in Southwest Australia. Its appearance is considered appealing, with white spots, black barring and vivid crimson marks at the ear and upper tail. Red-eared firetails are usually only glimpsed briefly, if at all, as they move rapidly and discreetly through their habitat. Most observations occur when their soft voice is heard, or in flight when flushed from the dense scrub. Males and females are similar in colouring and bond as lifelong pairs that occupy a territory centred on their roosting and brooding nest site. The species occupies a similar ecological niche to the beautiful firetail found in the east of Australia, although unlike other species of the genus they only occasionally group together and are almost never seen in large flocks.
The star finch is a seed-eating bird species found in northern Australia. It has a distinctive red face and bill, and broad white spots down its flanks. One of its three subspecies may be extinct.
The long-tailed finch is a common species of estrildid finch found in northern Australia, from the Kimberley region to the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is a predominantly fawn-coloured bird with a pale grey head and prominent black bib and eyes. It inhabits dry savannah habitats in Australia and adapts readily to aviculture.
The blue-faced parrotfinch is a locally common species of estrildid finch found in north-eastern Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Federated States of Micronesia, France (introduced), New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km2.
The Fiji parrotfinch is a species of estrildid finch endemic to Fiji that was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the red-headed parrotfinch. This parrotfinch is a small, mainly green bird with a red head and tail and a stubby dark grey bill. It is found in both forested and open habitats, and has adapted well to man-made environments such as grasslands, pasture and gardens. Pairs have a courtship display in which they fly above the trees in an undulating flight, calling constantly. Breeding birds build a domed grass nest with a side entrance, and lay a clutch normally of four white eggs. Newly hatched chicks are naked and pink, with blue balls at the upper and lower corners of the gape, and black markings inside the mouth; older fledglings resemble the adults, but lack the red head colouring. The Fiji parrotfinch eats seeds, especially of grasses, and also readily feeds on insects and nectar. It forms small flocks of up to six birds after the breeding season.
The royal parrotfinch is a species of estrildid finch endemic to Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean. It is found commonly at mid-altitudes on the larger islands such as Espiritu Santo, above 300 m., but it also can be found at small sea-level islands in fruiting figs in forest edge in Emae and Tongoa. This species is usually found in singles, pairs or small groups feeding on figs in the forest canopy. Clements has lumped this bird into the red-headed parrotfinch.
Mrs. Gould's sunbird is a sunbird species native to forests and shrublands from the southern foothills of the Himalayas to Southeast Asia.
The yellow chat is a small passerine bird endemic to Australia. They are known for their remarkable adaptions that aid their survival in their arid habitat.
Parrotfinches are small, colourful passerine birds belonging to the genus Erythrura in the family Estrildidae, the estrildid finches. They occur from South-east Asia to New Guinea, and many Pacific Islands. They inhabit forest, bamboo thickets and grassland and some can be found in man-made habitats such as farmland, parks and gardens. Several species are commonly kept as cagebirds.
The Wyndham Important Bird Area comprises a 28 km2 tract of land in the north-east of the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The site lies in the Bastion Hills close to the town of Wyndham, a port on the West Arm of the Cambridge Gulf. It is an important site for Gouldian finches.
Chrysopogon fallax is a perennial tufted grass endemic to Australia found in all mainland states except Victoria. It is commonly known as golden beard grass, ribbon grass, and weeping grass.
