![]() Family of Red Avadavat Red Avadavat is a sparrow-sized bird of the Estrildidae family. Concentration of Red Avadavat Red Avadavat 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. Breeding of Red Avadavat Red Avadavat breeds in the Indian states in the monsoon season. The species name of amandava and the common name of avadavat are derived from the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, from where these birds were exported into the pet trade in former times Structure of Red Avadavat This small finch, Red Avadavat is easily identified by the rounded black tail and the bill that is seasonally red. The rump is red and the breeding male is red on most of the upper parts except for a black eye-stripe, lower belly and wings. There are white spots on the red body and wing feathers. The non-breeding male is duller but has the red-rump while the female is duller with less of the white spotting on the feathers. Description of Red Avadavat Red Avadavat were earlier included in the genus Estrilda by Jean Delacour. This placement was followed for a while but morphological, behavioural, biochemical and DNA studies now support their separation in the genus Amandava. The Estrildinae are thought to have evolved somewhere in the Indian plate and moving into the African and Pacific regions and it has been estimated that the red munia diverged from the green munia about 9 million years ago. ![]() Red Avadavats are found mainly on the flat plains, mainly in places with tall grasses or crops often near water. The species has four named populations. The nominate subspecies is found in Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan; the Burmese form has been called flavidiventris (also found in parts of China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam); the population further east in Java is called punicea and in Cambodia decouxi. Behaviour of Red Avadavat This Finch- Red Avadavat is usually seen in small flocks, flying with rapid wing beats and descending into grass clumps where they are hard to observe. Pairs stay together during the breeding season. These birds produce a distinctive low single note pseep call that is often given in flight. Songs of Red Avadavat The song of Red Avadavat is a series of low notes. Birds of a flock will preen each other, ruffling their head feathers in invitation. Feeding of Red Avadavat Red Avadavat feeds mainly on grass seeds but will also take insects such as termites when they are available. Nests of Red Avadavat Red Avadavat builds a globular nest made of grass blades. The usual clutch is about five or six white eggs. |
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