The Gouldian Finch: a history
by Peggy Dalrymple
Originally published in the American Federation of Aviculture (Watchbird) May/June 1999
In northern Australia centuries ago, aborigines were probably the first humans to revere the bird that John Gould named ‘Lady Gould’ after his wife. After all, the aboriginal people didn’t pollute the water holes, destroy the habitat or trap the bird for commercial gain.
The encroachment of civilization has not been kind to the brightly colored bird that so fascinates aviculturists the world over. This bird that decorates our living rooms and enhances aviaries in such diverse places as our back yards, nursing homes and even gaming casinos is and has been for years, declining in the wild.
Australians are making efforts to keep the Gouldian Finch alive and well in its native habitat. They are doing field censuses, maintaining clean artificial water holds and have banned most trapping. There may be, however, many unknown causes for the birds decline and, unfortunately, illegal trapping may be one of them.
Although the aviculturists’ desire for the birds, and the trappers’ financial hunger, have no doubt, contributed to the birds declining status, aviculture may eventually be the salvation of the species.
Today’s avicultural subject – the Gouldian Finch raised in captivity and offered for sale at bird marts across the country – is a changed subject. Like many other captive bred species todays Gouldian is deviating from the norm of its wild ancestors. It is becoming larger, seldom receives or shows an inclination to accept the dietary preferences of the wild birds, and for increased productions, its eggs are often fostered to other species leading to a much disputed debate as to the continued ability of the Gouldian to even feed its own young.
Gouldians in the U.S. today have a history that encompasses four continents. Documentation shows that Australian wild trapped Gouldian entered the U.S. market up to the time of the Australian ban of wildlife exports in the early 1960’s. As early as the 1930’s, Japan has a lucrative export business in Gouldians, many of which came into the U.S. during the 1970’s and 80’s. Western Europe emerged as the primary supplier of Gouldian Finches to the U.S.
These European birds, the true predecessors of our aviary inhabitants of today, had several strikes against them before they ever arrived into the hands of the bird enthusiasts who purchased them.
Most European-bred Gouldians came from the bird rooms of generally small scale breeders in Holland and Belgium. The U.S. importers at this time required large quantities of birds to fill their (by now required) quarantine facilities.
European dealers became adept at accumulating birds from many breeders to meet the demand. Assembling birds from various aviaries and environments spread diseases in the accumulated flocks. Compounded with the stress of transport and quarantine, even the well-bred European Gouldians arrived in somewhat delicate condition.
From a continent where the seasons are the reverse of ours, from the commerce of Japanese traders, and from European entrepreneurs and traveling in boxes that held up to 100 birds for days – our Gouldian are fortunate to still be around. Remarkably, some of these birds lived to thrive and breed in U.S. cages and aviaries.
The beautiful color mutations of the Finch came to the U.S. from the Western European breeders. While they may have originated elsewhere, the diligent breeders of Europe bred them and sold them to U.S. dealers and breeders. Importing the expensive mutations into the U.S. was a challenge, not only because of the expense of the birds, but also because of the quarantine regulations. Quarantine was expensive and a risk to the health of such easily stressed bird since quarantine facilities often held thousands of birds at a time.
Gouldian Finches available in the U.S. today are primarily domestically bred. There are no wild-trapped birds, no Japanese imports and very few European-bred Gouldians on the U.S. market today. This is an admirable accomplishment for the dedicated Gouldian breeders in America – past and present. Very few finches in aviculture have become so well established as is the Gouldian today.
Whether it was the quest for commercial gain or the real love of the bird itself that resulted in its entry into aviculture history, the bird that Australia now strives to preserve in the wild shows few signs of impending extinction in aviculture.
