CONSERVATION STATUS (Australia): Endangered

With its vivid plumage in greens, purples, yellows, reds and blacks, the Gouldian finch is one of Australia’s most dazzling birds. Often called the ‘rainbow finch’, it looks almost too colourful to be real – but this beauty masks a more fragile reality.

Habitat

Gouldian finches prefer tropical savanna woodlands with a good supply of water and seeding grasses. They nest in tree hollows, particularly in eucalypts, and rely on areas that are not too heavily grazed or frequently burnt.

Distribution

Once found across northern Australia, the wild population is now largely confined to pockets of the Northern Territory, particularly around the savanna woodlands near Katherine, and in parts of the Kimberley in Western Australia.

Conservation status

Listed as Endangered under Australia’s EPBC Act, the Gouldian finch has declined significantly since the mid-20th century, with current wild populations estimated at fewer than 2,500 mature individuals.

Threats

Habitat degradation is the greatest threat, driven by changes in fire regimes, overgrazing by cattle, and clearing for agriculture. Predation by feral cats and competition for nesting sites also contribute to their decline.

Additionally, Gouldian finches have been targets for the illegal bird trade due to their beauty – especially up until the 1950s and continuing as late as the 1980s – which caused a dramatic decline in their numbers from which they have not recovered.

Reproduction

Breeding occurs during the wet season, when food is most plentiful. Pairs build nests in tree hollows and typically lay 4–8 eggs. Both parents share in incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks.

Fascinating fact

Gouldian finches come in three naturally occurring head colour morphs – black (about 70 per cent), red (about 30%) and yellow (by far the rarest at less than 1 per cent) – all within the same species. Each morph has slightly different behaviours and mate preferences.