SPECIES: Erythrura gouldiae — Gouldian Finch
CLASSIFICATION: Endangered
This could be a big call, but you might say that the endangered Gouldian Finch is quite possibly the most spectacularly coloured native bird found in Australia. Green, yellow and purple with either a black, red or golden head.
The Gouldian Finch - aka Lady Gouldian Finch, Gould's Finch or Rainbow Finch dates back to European settlement and was first discovered by surveyer John Gould. Unlike other Australian finches that nest in shrubs and vegetation, Gouldian Finch pairs will nest in tree hollows or holes in termite nests. Outside of breeding season, Gouldian Finches will join mixed flocks of other finch species to deter predators by the sheer volume of birds. The biggest threats to the species are fires, diesease and predators, because of their brilliant colouring and inability to blend in to escape predators. Although this breed of finch is quite popular for captive breeding, it is estimated that there are only as many as 2,500 left in the wild, with the species in decline.
