Gouldian
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈɡuːldiən/
- Australian
- The Gouldian finch is known for its vibrant plumage and small size.
Examples
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This is a photograph of a Gouldian Finch chick.
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This is particularly important for Gouldian finches since choosing the wrong mate can have dire fitness consequences for these birds.
Blog text (21) -
Diane Racey, APSA - "Sitting Pretty Male Gouldian"
Academic text (2002) -
"Our findings raise all sorts of interesting questions about how visual information mediates the behavior of Gouldian finches," explained Professor Templeton in an email.
Blog text (21) -
She goes on to explain that by doing this, she hopes to "get a better handle on the neurohormonal mechanisms that influence female Gouldian finches' abilities to manipulate the sex ratio of their offspring when they mate with a male of the wrong head color."
Blog text (21) -
During my visit to Australia, I was thrilled to see a Gouldian perched on a tree branch.
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The brightly colored feathers of the Gouldian finch make it a favorite among bird watchers.
Surface Forms
Morphology
Gouldian = Gould (opaque) = Gould + ian
The form is built from the surname 'Gould' plus '-ian', but the specific bird-name meaning is an eponym and is not predictable from the base alone.
Etymology
Gouldian is the name given to the bird because it was named after the English bird scientist John Gould, and the ending -ian means 'of or related to Gould'. That's why a Gouldian refers to the small, very colorful Australian finch.