FINCHforum

Hi,

I have heard that there is a large size gouldian finch developed in Europe through selective breeding for over 30 years in cold temperature bred naturally and these are large like the show size zebra finches, has anyone heard of this, and does anyone have a picture of such a bird with a normal size bird....just interested to see the size difference..

thanks

Neeraj

I have definitely seen two 'types' of gouldians. The smaller, slimmer type and the bigger, more robust birds. I prefer the bigger type, so those are the birds I purchase and breed with.

But I have no idea how the size of our captive bred birds compare to the birds in the wild or if the bigger birds have been selectively bred on purpose.

An interesting question!

NRJ

Hi Neeraj.

Haven't heared of any selective breeding projects aimed at producing larger Gouldians. However, I have seen smaller birds at times that different people have bred, and wondered about it. I had thought that there had been too much inner breeding, that had caused these smaller birds.
I also preffer the slightly larger birds.

~Elana~

Here is are the pictures i found after a lot of searching!!

NRJ

Wow! That's quite the size difference. Makes me wonder, which is the 'normal' size, the giant version, or the smaller one.

~Elana~

The last picture is from the website "Pete's gouldians". Reading his information it really doesn't say if the small one is a normal size or very small size. He says he's breeding to improve 4 main qualities, size, color, fertility and the head. He addresses all 4 separately on his page.
http://gouldianbreeder.com/page1001.html


Not sure where the other picture comes from, can you supply a link?

The average gouldian weight is 15-25 grams and about a 5 1/2 inch body.
I notice more are getting smaller when they are indiscriminately bred. Maybe the larger ones are the normal?
Really need measurements and weights on the larger birds to know.

debbie276 do you also choose the bigger hens to breed with? I have found that as long as the hen is a good size, the male can be smaller as the chicks seem to carry the size of the hen.

I took a chance of buying an uncolored young male as I needed outside lines. I hoped he would mature and grow up more than he has. The hen which I bought him for makes him look like a dwarf

I let my birds pick their own mates but when I'm out looking for new bloodlines I don't buy birds that don't meet my standards.
I've seen some that were the size of owl finch they were so tiny, super flat heads and so long in the leg they stand at attention. It's scary to think the breed is going in these directions.

debbie276

That's what I noticed too. Some lines do seem to be very tiny in stature. I wasn't sure if that was the norm, or the bigger guys, but stay away from these really little ones. I saw a female not too long ago, that was hardly three quarter size of my girls.

A breeder in our area here (who has recently retired and sold all of her birds) was breeding very small birds. I don't know if she was aiming for smaller birds, or if there was too much inbreeding going on, or what, but these birds were 'small'.

~Elana~

debbie276 I also let my birds choose their own partners (3 unrelated pairs per aviary) and this youngster was bought for my homebred hen to add new blood. Whether or not they actually pair up waits to be seen.

I bred one gouldian last year that stood like a java sparrow. Legs too long and splayed out and it stood far too up right. I let that one go

Here are more pictures of a larged-sized gouldian compared to a normal-sized one.

Here are more pictures of a larged-sized gouldian compared to a normal-sized one.

That's a bit deceiving seeing how one is further from the camera then the other

I just hope the breeding of Goudians doesn't go the way of budgies as I dislike the exhibition type of budgie- it just looks unnatural to me in terms of size and shape. The colours of budgies is fantastic and I love loads of them. Ive heard that the new breeds are so large with 'different' feathering that thye cant fly and that is disappointing.

Im not sure of the accccuracy of this but just what Ive heard/read

Debbie276: You are right, because the normal is further from the camera than the large, it is difficult to draw a conclusion.
So, to better be able to judge, here are additional photos
Note: As you can see, they're only 80% finished with their molt.