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Friday, January 31, 2014

Gordian Finch Bird

Gordian Finch Bird

The Gordian Finch  also known as the Lady Gordian Finch Gould's Finch or the Rainbow Finch, is a colorful pas serine bird endemic to Australia. There is strong evidence of a continuing decline even at the best known site near Katherine in the Northern Territory. Large numbers are bred in captivity particularly in Australia. In the state of South Australia, National Parks & Wildlife Department permit returns in the late 1990 showed that over 13,000 Gordian Finches were being kept by viticulturists. If extrapolated to an Australia-wide figure this would result in a total of over 100,000 birds. In 1992 it was classified as "Endangered in the wild" under  criteria. This was because the viable population size was estimated to be less than 2,500 mature individuals, no permanent sub population was known to contain more than 250 mature individuals and that a continuing decline was observed in the number of mature individuals. It is currently subject to a conservation program.Both sexes are brightly colored with black green yellow and red markings. The females tend to be less brightly colored. One major difference between the sexes is that the male's chest is purple, while the female's is a lighter mauve.Black headed female Gordian Goldfinch Finches are about 130-140 mm long. Gordian Finches' heads may be red, black, or yellow. Formerly considered three different kinds of finches, it is now known that these are color variants that exist in the wild.Selective breeding has also developed mutations  in both body and breast color.Juveniles also have distinctive colors. Their heads sides and necks are grey, and their backs, wings and tail feathers are olive green. Their undersides are pale brown. Beaks are blackish with a reddish tip. Their legs and feet are light brown. Newly hatched Gordian Finches are pink and naked until about 12 days old when the beginnings of feathers start to appear. Very young birds also have blue phosphorescent nodules on the sides of their beaks to help their parents locate their mouths inside the dark holes in which they nest.
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