The Red Avadavat were earlier included in the genus Estrilda by Jean Delacour. This placement was followed for a while but morphological, behavioural, biochemica 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 mya.

 

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 Cambodiadecouxi.

Introduced populations exist in southern Spain, Brunei, Fiji, Egypt, Malaysia, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore and Hawaii.

 

This finch 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. The song is a series of low notes. Birds of a flock will preen each other, ruffling their head feathers in invitation. They feed mainly on grass seeds but will also take insects such as termites when they are available.

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They build a globular nest made of grass blades. The usual clutch is about 5 or 6 white eggs.

 

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Published: 02/2014