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About
Gouldian Finch
This neat, plump-bodied little songbird, with thick concial bill; it has a brilliant multicolored plumage, especially the male, with a black or red face, the throat is black and extends into a stripe along its bottom edge, with a pale blue band running from the rear of the crown to separate the purple breast; yellow belly and flanks; upperparts grass-green, including long soulder feathers overlying brownish wings; shortish black tail with long, pointed central feathers; and pale pinkish or bone colored bill, pale brownish legs, dark eyes surrounded by white eye-ring. about 75 percent of adults have black heads, while 25 percent have red heads; There is also a very rare yellow headed one.
This beautiful bird breeds from January to April during the wet season. They nest in the tree hollows or in holes made by termite mounds. They lay 4-8 white eggs.
Up until 100 years ago this bird was common with a wide range in a suitable habitat in Australia. But since then, populations have suffered a huge massive decline. These are the result of two sorts of impact by humans. The result was by the first was by a large-scale trapping for the lucrative cagebird trade, until the practive was banned in the late 1986. But the more serious are the changes to the habitat, including burning of grassland in the wet season by farmers, which is what destoryed their nest sites, their shelters, and their food plants.
Today there may be as few as 2,500 breeding adults left in the world.
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What is this animal's name?
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Gouldian Finch |
What class is this animal assigned to?
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Aves |
What does this animal eat?
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Grass seeds, other plant seeds, especially sorghum, also insects in the wet season |
| Where did this animal live? |
Now only in a few scattered areas of North Australia |
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