FINCHforum

Hello all Gouldian Lovers,

I've been looking at different pictures of different mutations of Gouldian Finches.

Now in my opinion all Gouldians are beautiful and sweet, however....

The more I looked at some of these newer mutations that breeders are coming up with, the more I've come to realize that none of these mutations can even come close to the orginal that Mother Nature created.

My question is: Just because we can, does it mean we should???

The Original.... Any thoughts???

lovezebs

I agree with you 100%. The mutations are pretty but quite dull looking compared to the original colors. What drew me to the gouldians was the combination of bright colors in the males !!! Love the picture posted of the red headed purple breast male, (my favorite colors !!

lovezebs

The only mutations I like are non-dilute green or bluebacks. My favorite mutations are red-head, purple-breast greenbacks and black-headed, purple-breast bluebacks.

I do like some halfsiders because they're so unique, but they don't seem like good breeding stock because the two sides have different DNA, and sometimes even sex. I don't see any way they could become established due to the random nature of the mutation.

I'm not fond of pieds, as they tend to have a patchy look that can interfere with the other markings.

Dilutes have a duller color, which I can't understand in a bird like a gouldian. The same goes with whites; why not get white society finches, zebra finches, or Java finches instead?

Many yellow-headed birds seem to have a mask with uneven edges. Their masks also tend to contrast less with the body, and the body contrasts less with the underbelly.

If I wasn't so partial to blue, I'd be complaining about that too, as it makes red-head a dull salmon color and the underbelly almost white. It also reduces contrast between the blue mask ring and the rest of the body.

My favorite Gouldian is the yellow-faced normal, which occurs naturally albeit is the least commonly observed variation. I do like the black and red normals as well. I don't find white-breasts attractive in greens or yellows but love it in blues, where it matches much better. Red-headed yellows with purple breasts are really pretty but "black-heads" are quite bland-looking on birds that don't produce black pigment. Solid whites seem quite pointless to produce but they do add a little more variety to a group. I wouldn't see the point in keeping them on their own though. Dilutes don't appeal to me, but I think the pied ones are interesting.

Overall I feel that breeding for mutations, even blander ones, is fun and interesting but hobbyists should also make sure to continue breeding normal stock.

I have heard mutation birds compared to spices and feel the comparison is apt. They are all beautiful together and with the wild variety, as spices come together in a good dish, but any one by itself pales in comparison.

My opinion is, that when one begins to develope a mutation, the idea is to create something better than the original, or at least as attractive as the original. With many of these mutations, I don't find them to be anywhere near equal to the original, and definitely not better.

I do love some of the mutations, I'lll not deny it, but there again when I look at the original, none of the mutations can compare .

I certainly agree with the consensus here.
Given the vibrant colors of the normals I simply don't understand the attraction of many of the pallid, washed out mutations. Or the blotchy pieds for that matter.

Breeding mutations in captive animals will never improve the animal.
The Gouldian finch looks like it does because that is the way nature has crafted it to be most suited to survival.

Mutation breeding is to produce forms which appeal to human aesthetics, which are completely arbitrary.

To some, these birds are the most beautiful thing in the world. I do quite love certain mutations myself. I am extremely fond of pied budgerigars and penguin zebra finches, both of which are even more beautiful than wild types to me. I don't feel any Gouldian rivals the wild in overall wow factor but the mutation birds can be beautiful in wholly new ways, as long as we don't focus entirely on them and still ensure the wild form survives.

paul-inAZ Sheather

Hence the title of this Thread.
Beauty, really is in the eye of the beholder.

Different people will find different things beautiful.

It's just that when I place the mutations side by side with the original, the mutations do tend to fall short, with some appearing down right ugly.

lovezebs
Hi Elana, I have to agree that the original colors can't be surpassed. The reason I was attracted to Gouldians in the first place was their brilliant colors and soft song. But what's kept me interested in them is they're fascinating genetics. Isn't life supposed to be a box of chocolates? No two the same. Something new something different the it's variety in things that it so interesting. Unless released into the wild I don't see what the harm is.

kyle

Hi Kyle,

Don't get me wrong, I don't think there's any harm done by developing different mutations ( unless the original Gouldian starts to lose ground and disappear ).

I love the box of chocolate idea (I love chocolates in general) but in each box, there are a few pieces which are

lovezebs
LOL. So true!