A Guide to Gouldian Colour Variants

1. Where one head colour is genetically carrying another head colour in a hidden form, it is called a SPLIT. Say a Red headed cock is split for the Black headed gene, it will be visually Red split for Black, this is written down as, RED/BLACK. If it is split for Yellow head as well it will be written down as RED/BLACK & YELLOW.

2. The Black headed Gouldian has two colour phases, one has a RED tipped beak and the other a YELLOW tipped beak, the RED tip is usually known as the Black headed Gouldian whilst the YELLOW tip is usually written as Black Y.T.B. Genetically they are not the same, and as you will see from the mating tables, give a different set of results.

3. From the table you will see that the pairings 27, 31 and 52 are capable of producing youngsters in all the head colours in both cocks and hens, including the Y.T.B. Blackhead.

4. Yellow headed hens cannot be split for any other head colour and as such are always pure Yellow.

5. Black headed birds when paired together will only produce Black headed offspring, they will be either R.T.B. or Y.T.B. dependant upon the pairing.

6. The Gouldian finch is the only Estrildid to have three naturally occurring colour phases or morphs and this makes it a very interesting subject genetically, now add to these the colour variants that have been developed by bird breeders and you will agree that all the permutations and explanations could fill a book. Perhaps someone will work them all out one day or perhaps someone already has. Please send me a copy!

7. Here is just a basic guide to some of the other colour variants:

White breast - this is a recessive gene that acts independently of the head colours and other colour mutations.
Blue Variant - this is another recessive colour variant and acts independently of other colour mutations. The head colours in the Red and Yellow headed forms are modified to a salmon pink colour and it can be difficult to distinguish between these two head colours.
Lilac breast variant. Here we have a colour variant that modifies the breast, a Pastel effect.
Yellow variant - the gene that controls the yellow factor, I will not call it "Yellow backed" because this is misleading as this gene effects other parts of the plumage, including the throat and tail, is a dominant gene. This basically means that the yellow variant only exists in the visual form, no Gouldian, cocks or hens can split for the yellow variation. The cocks come in three forms:

Pastel, where the modified areas of plumage washed down to approximately half tone, but is very variable, the throat is charcoal grey and in the Black headed phase the head is modified to charcoal from black. I did recently see a very good example of a pastel Black headed cock were the back of the bird was a very even shade of delicate mustard yellow, the best I've seen.
Single factor cock. This is basically a pale yellow bird with normal looking breast and belly colour and head colour except in the Black head were the black head shows out as a silver-grey.
Double factor yellow. Here we have the full expression of this colour variation. The yellow is now a full blown bright primrose yellow in its best form with an almost white throat, though not as white as the white of the white breasted variant. The breast and belly are normal looking and so is the head colour of the Red and Yellow headed forms, but the head colour of the Black headed form is modified to silver. The hens, only come in one form, this is the equivalent to the single factor in the cock birds, and the yellow variant colours modified as in a normal hen apply.

8. Colour variant combinations. All the colour variants may be combined in one form or another as the breeder wishes, we at present do not have to take into account any lethal factors, the number of colour combinations seems endless but there are some very nice visual ones along the way. My preferences are the Double factor Yellow, Lilac breasted, Red head cock bird, the Black White breasted Blue variant and the Black headed Purple breasted Silver, but my real favourite is still the Black headed normal. The Silver form is a fine example of colour variant combinations, combining the factors of Blue and Yellow variants to come up with this very subtle variation. Then further along this road we come to the White bird, this then is the "ultimate expression" of the breeders art, the end of the road. To start with all that colour and end up with a blank.

Colour variants are an on-going situation, we have had glimpses into the future were some colour variations have surfaced and disappeared again without being established, did have a nest were one of the young had brownish feathers and red eyes, but did not survive, was it a cinnamon? I do have now a Black headed White breasted bird that is Grey instead of blue, but is very reluctant to lay eggs. So is this to be the end of a Grey series of birds before it gets going, I will let you know.

The words "colour variant" that I have used throughout this article are my preference to the word "mutation" which is in common usage where Australian Finches are mentioned. My reason for using the term colour variant is that it is a much softer word, it is already in common use in birdkeeping (re British bird fancy) and expresses what we mean in a more definitive way. Mutation to me seems to be much more physical, such as crests, frills, feather footed and other types of deformity, and should we as a society be going down that road? I for one would like to discourage the breeding of birds with any physical irregularity. We already have, so called, Crested Chestnut Breasted Mannikins which in my opinion are hybrids and as such should not be recognised. Can you imagine a "frilled scotch fancy type white Gouldian" or the "Gloster type, double factor, yellow with a red head and a silver crest, that covers its eyes", these may be far fetched but so were Blue and Yellow variants not so many years ago. All these mutations occur naturally and will pop up from time to time, how far should we go? For me colours are enough.

Head Colour Expectations for Normal Gouldian Finches.
Expressed as a Percentage Cock x Hen.

COCK X HEN	COCK	HEN
1. RED X RED	50% RED	50% RED
2. RED/BLACK X RED	25% RED. 25% RED/BLACK	25% RED. 25% BLACK
3. RED/YELLOW X RED	25% RED. 25% RED/YELLOW	25% RED. 25% RED/YELLOW
4. RED/BLACK & YELLOW X RED	12.5% RED. 12.5% RED/BLACK. 12.5% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% RED/BLACK & YELLOW	12.5% RED. 12.5% BLACK. 12.5% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW
5. RED X RED/YELLOW	AS No 3	AS No 3
6. RED/BLACK X RED/YELLOW	AS No 4	AS No 4
7. RED/YELLOW X RED/YELLOW	12.5% RED. 25% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% YELLOW	12.5% RED. 25% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% YELLOW
8. RED/BLACK & YELLOW X RED/YELLOW	6.25% RED. 6.25% RED/BLACK. 12.5% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% RED/BLACK & YELLOW. 6.25% YELLOW. 6.25% YELLOW/BLACK	6.25% RED. 6.25% BLACK. 12.5% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW. 6.25% YELLOW. 6.25% BLACK Y.T.B.
9. BLACK X BLACK	50% BLACK	50% BLACK
10. BLACK/YELLOW X BLACK	25% BLACK. 25% BLACK/YELLOW	25% BLACK. 25% BLACK/YELLOW
11. BLACK Y.T.B. X BLACK	50% BLACK/YELLOW	50% BLACK/YELLOW
12. BLACK X BLACK/YELLOW	AS No 10	AS No 10
13. BLACK/YELLOW X BLACK/YELLOW	12.5% BLACK. 25% BLACK/YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK Y.T.B.	12.5% BLACK. 25% BLACK/YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK Y.T.B.
14. BLACK Y.T.B. X BLACK/YELLOW	25% BLACK/YELLOW. 25% BLACK Y.T.B.	25% BLACK/YELLOW. 25% BLACK Y.T.B.
15. BLACK X BLACK Y.T.B.	AS No 11	AS No 11
16. BLACK/YELLOW X BLACK Y.T.B.	AS No 14	AS No 14
17. BLACK Y.T.B. X BLACK Y.T.B.	50% BLACK Y.T.B.	50% BLACK Y.T.B.
18. YELLOW X YELLOW	50% YELLOW	50% YELLOW
19. YELLOW/BLACK X YELLOW	25% YELLOW. 25% YELLOW/BLACK	25% YELLOW. 25% BLACK Y.T.B.
20. RED X BLACK	50% RED/BLACK	50% RED
21. RED/BLACK X BLACK	25% RED/BLACK. 25% BLACK	25% RED. 25% BLACK
22. RED/YELLOW X BLACK	25% RED/BLACK. 25% RED/BLACK & YELLOW	25% RED. 25% RED/YELLOW
23. RED/BLACK & YELLOW X BLACK	12.5% RED/BLACK. 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW. 12.5% RED/BLACK & YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK	12.5% RED. 12.5% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK. 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW
24. RED X BLACK/YELLOW	AS No 22	AS No 22
25. RED/BLACK X BLACK/YELLOW	AS No 23	AS No 23
26. RED/YELLOW X BLACK/YELLOW	12.5% RED/BLACK. 25% RED/BLACK & YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW	12.5% RED. 25% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% YELLOW
27. RED/BLACK & YELLOW. X BLACK/YELLOW	6.25% RED/BLACK. 6.25% BLACK. 12.5% RED/BLACK & YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW. 6.25% YELLOW/BLACK. 6.25% BLACK Y.T.B.	6.25% RED. 6.25% BLACK. 12.5% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW. 6.25% YELLOW. 6.25% BLACK Y.T.B.
28. RED X BLACK Y.T.B.	50% RED/BLACK&YELLOW	50% RED/YELLOW
29. RED/BLACK X BLACK Y.T.B.	25% RED/BLACK&YELLOW. 25%BLACK/YELLOW	25% RED/YELLOW. 25% BLACK/YELLOW
30. RED/YELLOW X BLACK Y.T.B.	25% RED/BLACK & YELLOW. 25% YELLOW/BLACK	25% RED/YELLOW. 25% YELLOW
31 RED/BLACK & YELLOW X BLACK Y.T.B.	12.5% RED/BLACK & YELLOW 12.5% BLACK Y.T.B 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW. 12.5% YELLOW/BLACK	12.5% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW. 12.5% YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK Y.T.B.
32. BLACK X RED	50% RED/BLACK	50% BLACK
33. BLACK/YELLOW X RED	25% RED/BLACK. 25% RED/BLACK & YELLOW	25% BLACK. 25% BLACK/YELLOW
34. BLACK Y.T.B. X RED	50% RED/BLACK & YELLOW	50% BLACK/YELLOW
35. BLACK X RED/YELLOW	AS No 33	AS No 33
36. BLACK/YELLOW X RED/YELLOW	12.5% RED/BLACK. 25% RED/BLACK & YELLOW. 12.5% YELLOW/BLACK	12.5% BLACK. 25% BLACK/YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK Y.T.B.
37. BLACK Y.T.B. X RED/YELLOW	25% RED/BLACK & YELLOW. 25% YELLOW/BLACK	25% BLACK/YELLOW. 25% BLACK Y.T.B.
38. RED X YELLOW	50% RED/YELLOW	50% RED/YELLOW
39. RED/BLACK X YELLOW	25% RED/YELLOW. 25% RED/BLACK & YELLOW	25% RED/YELLOW. 25% BLACK/YELLOW
40. RED/YELLOW. X YELLOW	25% RED/YELLOW. 25% YELLOW	25% RED/YELLOW. 25% YELLOW
41. RED/BLACK & YELLOW X YELLOW	12.5% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% RED/BLACK & YELLOW. 12.5% YELLOW. 12.5% YELLOW/BLACK	12.5% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW. 12.5% YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK Y.T.B.
42. YELLOW X RED	AS No 38	AS No 38
43. YELLOW/BLACK X BLACK	AS No 39	AS No 39
44. YELLOW X RED/YELLOW	AS No 40	AS No 40
45. YELLOW/BLACK X RED/YELLOW	AS No 41	AS No 41
46. BLACK X YELLOW	50% RED/BLACK & YELLOW	50% BLACK/YELLOW
47. BLACK/YELLOW X YELLOW	25% RED/BLACK & YELLOW. 25% YELLOW/BLACK	25% BLACK/YELLOW. 25% BLACK Y.T.B.
48. BLACK Y.T.B. X YELLOW	50% YELLOW/BLACK	50% BLACK Y.T.B.
49. YELLOW X BLACK	50% RED/BLACK & YELLOW	50% RED/YELLOW
50. YELLOW/BLACK X BLACK	25% RED/BLACK &YELLOW. 25% BLACK/YELLOW	25% RED/YELLOW. 25% BLACK/YELLOW
51. YELLOW X BLACK/YELLOW	25% RED/BLACK & YELLOW. 25% YELLOW/BLACK	25% RED/YELLOW. 25% YELLOW
52. YELLOW/BLACK X BLACK/YELLOW	12.5% RED/BLACK & YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW. 12.5% YELLOW/BLACK. 12.5% BLACK Y.T.B.	12.5% RED/YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK/YELLOW. 12.5% YELLOW. 12.5% BLACK Y.T.B.
53. YELLOW X BLACK Y.T.B.	50% YELLOW/BLACK	50% YELLOW
54. YELLOW/BLACK X BLACK Y.T.B.	25% YELLOW/BLACK. 25% BLACK Y.T.B.	25% YELLOW. 25% BLACK Y.T.B.

YELLOW SERIES: HERE I WILL GIVE ONLY WHAT COLOURS YOU COULD EXPECT FROM GIVEN MATINGS USING THE YELLOW FACTOR

55. WHITE BREAST X WHITE BREAST	50% WHITE BREAST	50% WHITE BREAST
56. NORMAL/WHITE BREAST X NORMAL/WHITE BREAST	12.5% NORMAL. 25% NORMAL/WHITE BREAST. 12.5% WHITE BREAST	12.5% NORMAL. 25% NORMAL/WHITE BREAST. 12.5% WHITE BREAST
57. WHITE BREAST X NORMAL/WHITE BREAST	25% NORMAL/WHITE BREAST 25% WHITE BREAST	25% NORMAL/WHITE BREAST 25% WHITE BREAST
58. NORMAL/WHITE BREAST X WHITE BREAST	AS No 56	AS No 56
59. NORMAL X WHITE BREAST	50% NORMAL/WHITE BREAST	50% NORMAL/WHITE BREAST
60. WHITE BREAST X NORMAL	AS No 58	AS No 58

61. BLUE X BLUE	50% BLUE	50% BLUE
62. NORMAL/BLUE X NORMAL/BLUE	12.5% NORMAL. 25% NORMAL/BLUE. 12.5% BLUE	12.5% NORMAL. 25% NORMAL/BLUE. 12.5% BLUE
63. BLUE X NORMAL/BLUE	25% NORMAL/BLUE. 25% BLUE	25% NORMAL/BLUE. 25% BLUE
64. NORMAL/BLUE X BLUE	AS No 62	AS No 62
65. NORMAL X BLUE	50% NORMAL/BLUE	50% NORMAL/BLUE
66. BLUE X NORMAL	AS No 64	AS No 64

67. NORMAL X YELLOW	NORMAL & PASTEL	NORMAL & YELLOW
68. PASTEL X YELLOW	NORMAL PASTEL & YELLOW 1. (FACTOR)	NORMAL & YELLOW
69. YELLOW 1. X YELLOW	PASTEL. YELLOW 1. & YELLOW 2	NORMAL & YELLOW
70. YELLOW 2. X YELLOW	YELLOW 1. & YELLOW 2.	YELLOW
71. PASTEL X NORMAL	NORMAL & PASTEL	NORMAL & YELLOW
72. YELLOW 1. X NORMAL	PASTEL & YELLOW 1.	NORMAL & YELLOW
73. YELLOW 2. X NORMAL	PASTEL & YELLOW 1.	NORMAL & YELLOW