Gouldian Finch colour mutations

A common variation is the White-breasted Gouldian, in which the purple chest is replaced by bright White.  It's a recessive trait, meaning both parents must display or carry the white-breast gene for their babies to display it.  This is a beautiful variation and easy to breed.

A less common variation is the Lilac breast, in which the purple chest is subdued.  It's a recessive trait that seems to be linked in some way to the White breast gene.

Orange-headed birds are the least common, because this is a fully recessive trait.

When red and black-headed birds are bred together, the red heads of female offspring sometimes look ‘dirty’ — they have black blended in.  Likewise when breeding orange and black-headed birds.  However, this seems to be avoidable with selective breeding.  With a little care, hens with clean red or orange heads can be easily produced.

The beaks of females turn a deep Charcoal grey in the Summer when they are in breeding condition.

All Green feathers are replaced by Blue feathers.

Red and Orange head feathers are replaced by Beige.

Yellow belly feathers are replaced by Cream or Beige.

Babies fledge grey-blue.

Some claim that split Blues (birds that carry one copy of the recessive Blue gene but do not display it) can sometimes be identified by those with good colour vision, usually women, by a subtle blue/dull wash through the green feathers.  Most disagree!

It is vigorously debated whether most or all Blue Gouldians have an immune system fault that means they can only be kept alive in unusually clean, climate-controlled environments.

The experience of most Australian breeders is that Blue-backed Gouldians are likely to die in outdoor aviaries and babies rarely make it beyond a few weeks, unless they are kept warm and their enclosure is regularly fogged with a sterilising agent or the birds are medicated.  Hence the very high price of this mutation — most die young, making them rare.

Some also observe that Blue Gouldians may display cognitive deficits in the form of reduced adaptability and survival behaviour.  This could be caused by inbreeding by breeders trying to produce more of these valuable birds, or by cabinet-breeding (a low-stimulation environment in which birds fail to learn basic skills), or it might be a facet of the mutation itself.

Blue mutation Gouldians are not recommended for beginner finch keepers.

SF Pastel Green hens appear Yellow.  Black markings are replaced by extremely pale Grey or White.  Blue markings are replaced by extremely pale Blue-grey or White.

SF Pastel Blue hens appear White or Silver-white.  Black markings are replaced by extremely pale Grey or White.  Blue markings are replaced by extremely pale Blue-grey or White.

SF Pastel Blue cocks are Powder-blue.  Black markings are replaced by Grey.  Blue markings range from pale Blue to extremely pale Blue-grey.

DF Pastel Blue cocks are Silver-white.  Black markings are replaced by White.  Blue markings are replaced by extremely pale Blue-grey or White.

Pastel Green babies fledge light Olive green (SF males) or White-yellow (DF males and SF females).

Although the recessive Dilute mutation (see below) is phenotypically (visually) similar to a SF Pastel Green cock, it is genetically unrelated.

Watch out — North American breeders often refer to SF Pastel Green cocks as Dilute, because it's a natural description for a bird with this appearance — and because the Australian recessive Dilute (see below) does not exist in North America.  This can cause confusion when swapping notes with international finch enthusiasts.  Using the term Pastel helps to avoid this confusion.

A genetic lethal factor appears to exist that causes the death of a significant proportion of embryos from pairings of DF Pastel cocks with SF Pastel hens.  It's unclear whether this is a true lethal factor, or whether it might be the result of slight inbreeding of yellow birds.  Finches are very vulnerable to declining fertility/viability when closely bred, even when this inbreeding is quite minor.  See this study:  Damaging effect of inbreeding in birds vastly underestimated.

Visually very similar to SF Pastel cocks, although usually a slightly lighter Lime green or Yellow-green.

Also visually very similar to recessive Lime (not described here), but controlled by different genes.

Breast and belly colours are the same as Normal birds.

Black head feathers and pencil lines become Grey to very pale Grey.

Blue markings become extremely pale Blue.

Babies have reddish eyes – an albinism trait, rather than truly dilute.  However, their eyes darken with age.

Juveniles are a creamy Fawn.

When chatting with international finch-keeping friends be very careful with terminology, so as not to get confused between this mutation and SF Pastel Green birds.  Read the Notes section under Pastel, above.

This is a rare mutation.  It's believed to be found only in Australia.

Visually similar to White-breasted Pastel Green.

All Black markings are replaced by White.

The Purple breast is replaced by White.  This is unrelated to the White breast gene.

Mature birds can have pure Yellow backs.

Most young and some adult birds have Green variegation across their shoulders and back, and some Grey pencil markings.

They have almost White flight feathers — the long feathers on the lower edge of their wings.

Many, but not all, split Australian Yellows (birds that carry only one gene so do not display it) have an obvious patch of White under their chins in the area that is usually Black, and/or Whitish toes.  These are useful ways to identify them.

Australian Yellow can blend with, and be hidden under, Pastel genes.  This makes breeding results unpredictable.  It's highly advisable to house populations of these two mutations separately.

This mutation is considered to be unknown outside of Australia, although some birds are rumoured to have been found in Europe and the USA.