Red Fody | |
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Conservation status | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Ploceidae |
Genus: | Foudia |
Species: | F. madagascariensis |
Binomial name | |
Foudia madagascariensis (Linnaeus, 1766) |
The Red Fody (Foudia madagascariensis), sometimes known as the Red Cardinal Fody or Common Fody, is a small bird native to Madagascar.
The Red Fody is about 5 inches in length and weighs 14–19 grams. The male of the species is bright red with black markings around each eye. Its wings and tail are olive-brown. The female fody's upper body is olive-brown and its underbody is greyish-brown.
It is a common bird found in forest clearings, grasslands and cultivated areas. In Madagascar it is regarded as a pest to rice cultivation. It has been introduced to other areas of the Indian Ocean, included the Amirantes, Comoros, Seychelles, Mauritius and Réunion.
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