Chloebia gouldiae
Gouldian Finch
Gouldian finches are strikingly colourful aviary birds prized for their appearance rather than interaction. They reward a stable, warm, well-planted flight with quiet colour and song but do not tolerate handling or careless temperature swings.
EstrildidaeLifespan 5–8 yearsCare complexity 3/5Not a beginner animal
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Chloebia gouldiae
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Origin
- Tropical savannah woodland of northern Australia
- Lifespan
- 5–8 years
- Adult size
- 12–14 cm
- Weight
- 12–16 g
- Temperament
- Shy, gentle and skittish; not a hands-on pet
- Activity level
- Moderate; active flitting between perches through daylight hours
- Social needs
- High need for company of its own species, low need for human interaction
- Intelligence
- Simple, instinct-driven flock behaviour
- Noise
- Quiet, soft chirps and warbles
Housing and environment
- Housing
- Flight cage at least 100 cm long, or outdoor aviary in mild climates
- Space requirement
- Horizontal flying space matters far more than height
- Temperature
- 20–28°C; sensitive to cold and draughts
- Humidity
- 50–60%
- Exercise
- Flight within a long flight cage or aviary
- Grooming
- Self-maintained; a shallow bathing dish should be offered several times a week
Diet and feeding
Finch seed mix, live or dried insects while breeding, leafy greens and cuttlebone
Behaviour and compatibility
Flocking, quiet warbling song from males, colour-based mate preference
- With children
- Best observed rather than handled; too delicate for young children to hold
- With other animals
- Keep only with other calm, similarly sized finch species
- Training difficulty
- Not applicable; not a hand-tamed species
Health
- Air-sac mite infestation
- Chilling and respiratory infection
- Egg binding in breeding hens
Avian vet review recommended if breathing sounds clicky or feathers stay fluffed for more than a day
Special care requirements
Very sensitive to stress and cold; sudden temperature drops can be fatal within hours