Red Avadavat

Overview

The red avadavat (Amandava amandava), also known as the red munia or strawberry finch, is a sparrow-sized bird of the family Estrildidae. It is found in the open fields and grasslands of tropical Asia and is popular as a cage bird due to the colourful plumage of the males in their breeding season.

Identification

• Rounded black tail and a bill that is seasonally red.
• Breeding males are red on most upper parts with a black eye-stripe, lower belly, and wings, featuring white spots on the red body and wing feathers.
• Non-breeding males and females are duller, though the female shows less white spotting on the feathers.
• A distinctive low single note 'pseep' call is often given in flight.

Habitat

Red avadavats are found mainly on flat plains in places with tall grasses or crops, often near water. Their natural range includes Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, parts of China, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Lesser Sundas. Introduced populations exist in various locations worldwide, including parts of Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.

Diet

These birds feed mainly on grass seeds but will also take insects such as termites when they are available. They usually forage in small flocks, descending into grass clumps where they are hard to observe.

Did you know?

The species name 'amandava' and the common name 'avadavat' are derived from the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India, from where these birds were exported into the pet trade in former times.