Rainbow Finch,Painted Finch,Lady Gouldian Finch
This Finch is about 15cm high.It is one of the most colourful of all finches.The head colours are Red,Black and Yellow.There are several variations of colour with the Female mor muted than in the Male.Looking at the picture on the right you will see my White breasted male and my noraml male and one female looking left to right.
The Gouldian Finch lives in groups the whole year.
These Finches can be found on the dry eucalyptus savannas in northern Australia with the exception of the Cape York PeninsulaThey are declining rapidly in the wild and could be soon considered as endangered and this is being monitored by the AFS:
Breeding occurs in the second half of the rainy season.They usually adapt abandoned brooding caves left by parakeets and simply deposit the eggs on the material already there orthey use holes in trees.If they build a nest they use various types of grass but this is not lined.
The eggs are laid about five days after copulation and then in the mornings until the clutch is complete.T he average is six but it can vary.Brooding starts after the third egg.
Hatching occurs at about sixteen to eighteen days.
The young can be heard begging for food.
They fledge at about twenty-two days.
In the wild the food consists mostly of partially or fully ripe sorghum seeds.They also consume some insects.