FINCHforum

I'm new to having gouldian finch. I wanted an all male aviary (four finch total). About a month ago I purchased two males from a local breeder. Luna is a green back, orange head, white breast and tiki is a green back, red head with normal purple breast. They were in different cages at the breeder, tiki was about 6 months and luna 1 year old. I also have 2 other male gouldians, nova and pita, who were purchased from a different breeder 3 days later. Tiki and luna bonded very quickly, sleep next to each other. I had them in a large flight cage (31" x 21" x 43") but recently separated them because:

1. Tiki and luna (first ones into the cage) were being aggressive towards nova and pita, lots of chasing and pecking (no wounds tho) and it was getting worse. I thought separating them for a week or so would help.
2. Tiki/luna do the mating dance/sing to each other every day (luna does sing), tiki tries to fly on top of luna.
3. Luna started sitting in/throwing food out of a large seed cup like he wanted to nest in it.

I put a coco hut in the separate cage with luna and tiki and they built a nest in it (I supplied paper towel strips).

I'm dumbfounded as to what to do next. Is it common for two males to act like they want to mate? I wonder if luna could be a female because the second breeder (of nova and pita) told me that he couldn't guarantee the sex of a white breasted gouldian (I wanted a black head white breasted one he had). Luna sings/dances just like tiki and he does not have a dark beak (it has an orange tip, see photo).

I really want to get luna and tiki back into the big cage with pita and nova, any suggestions or advice? Pita and nova seem to be getting along just fine without my two bullies in there with them!
Thank you!

Bird in your Picture is 100% Male, Red Headed, White Breasted Green Back. Tip of the beak is Red.

Attached is a picture of an Orange Head (Yellow headed) YTB.

To introduce birds together into a cage, first re-arrange everything inside of the cage, perches, food and water, etc. This way, it is like putting everyone into new territory at the same time, and nobody is dominant. It works well.

Can you post pictures of the other 3 birds?

the second breeder (of nova and pita) told me that he couldn't guarantee the sex of a white breasted gouldian

White Breasted Gouldians are VERY easy to sex.

Thank you Lori for your reply. I will redo the big cage and introduce them all at once. Here are a couple pictures of them.

Beautiful! All Boys. 2 Red Heads, 2 black heads. I really like the Single Factor Yellow Black headed boy.

There is a female amongst them

Where?

Thank you all for the replies. I'm convinced now that they are all males. I did rearrange the flight cage and put them all back in at the same time and they are getting along so much better. They are such a blast to watch! I'm so glad I decided on getting gouldians, they are such wonderful finch.

wildbird wrote: Where?

The one with the black head

CathyCraftz

That one's also male; he has a red beak tip, deep purple breast, and a bright blue neck ring typical of that of a male.

Here is a better photo of Nova, my black-headed boy.

Those are 100% all males. No females in any of the pictures.