Aussie Finch Forum

Hi All,

I haven't posted for a while but all is going well here in SA. The birds are all in breeding mode and going crazy with nest building

Please can you help me with this gouldian. Hatched in July from normal green backs, which I bred myself. Unrelated lines and I am not aware of any mutations. Do you think it will stay like this or molt out into normal green? The parents had 3 good size clutches this year, all normal except for this one.

Thanks in advance!
Roxanne

looks pretty funky

Lets see how it colours up in full

Wow Rox,

looks really weird but nice. Just imagine a gould with scalloped colouring like a budgie! Keep us informed and let us see photos as the moult continues.

Ken.

I have to agree,something has gone haywire there. Any other species in the aviary with them? Craig

Parents are in with blue-breasted cordons, golden-breasted waxbills and a pair of peter's twinspots, so I don't see any chance of hybridization from those birds. While parents are green backs, there was a pair of yellow goulds in the aviary with them but I pulled the SF yellow male as he is old (6yrs) and has been shooting blanks with his mate for the last 2 seasons. So I don't think he could have been involved...

I will just have to be patient and wait for it to finish molting. I just find it fascinating!

The opaline mutation has turned up in many types of hookbills. Budgies, Weeios, a number of Neophemus. So why should it not turn up in Gouldians. Look forward to seeing progress pics of this young one in a month then 2 months time. Thanks for posting. PS keep all the family till you know what is happening.
LML

Finchbreeder, thanks. I didn't think of keeping all of the young from that pair but I will hang on to them all until I see what happens with this youngster. The parents will remain together for this coming season and it will be interesting to see if this happens again. The molt is speeding up as our temps rise, so I should have an idea in the next month or so as to what it's final color will be.

I will post pic's once it's colored up

Fantastic going Rox...
Something new is something learnt.
I wish you and this bird luck and look forward to the progress photos.

Rich.

Opalines in most birds it has turned up in is sex linked. So in theory, Dad would be carrying the gene and his daughters would be showing it. While Mom and the sons would be normals. But until this is more certain keep all the family. And see if any more like this turn up. Has the Dad bred before? How many chicks were in this nest?
LML

finchbreeder wrote:Opalines in most birds it has turned up in is sex linked. So in theory, Dad would be carrying the gene and his daughters would be showing it. While Mom and the sons would be normals. But until this is more certain keep all the family. And see if any more like this turn up. Has the Dad bred before? How many chicks were in this nest?
LML

Trouble is unless the original pair were seperate you couldn't guarantee who the parents were, as Gouldians are very promiscious...