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By Alexander Wetmore
Of all the Australian weavers the most attractive are the Gouldian finches (Poephila
gouldiae), named by the English naturalist
John Gould for his wife, in recognition of her
long assistance to him in illustrating his books
on birds.
Viewed in the abstract, a combination color
pattern composed of brilliant yellow, purple,
black, red, and green can only impress the
color-conscious person as gaudy. That this
may not necessarily be true is shown by the
trim form of the Gouldian finch, which, dressed
in these identical colors, is beautiful and pleasing
(Color Plate VI).
These small birds, an attraction in any
aviary, are natives of northern Australia.
Their nests are the usual globular structures
of grass, suspended in trees or bushes except
when the birds elect to nest in holes of trees.
The eggs are white.
Gouldian finches breed readily in captivity,
and many are reared for sale. For years it
was supposed that the birds with black faces
and those with red were distinct, while a third
kind with orange head was also recognized.
Breeders find, however, that the three are
merely color variations. and that all belong
to the same species. Even the sexes cannot
always be distinguished with certainty, as the
breasts are lighter in young males, and some
females are as bright as the brilliant males.
The young, when in the nest, have curious
mouth tubercles, light in color, the reason for
which is not entirely certain. However, as
they show plainly in scanty light they may be
of help in directing the parents toward the open
mouths of the young in feeding.
As Gouldian finches live in nature in a mild
climate, they are delicate in captivity and need
protection from drafts and cold. In England
they become acclimated so that they live outdoors in summer and under these conditions
breed freely. It is difficult, however, to accustom them to any degree of cold.
Originally appeared in the December 1938 issue of the National Geographic Magazine
This Web version COPYRIGHT 2004
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