Red Fody
Foudia madagascariensis
Sparrow-like weaver in which scarlet breeding males are distinctive, but females and non-breeding females very drab. Found in virtually all habitats except the interior of thick forest. Often found in flocks, sometimes mixed with other birds. Calls are high, silvery notes, given in long series as a song. Can be very similar to Forest Fody. Breeding male Red Fody has red on the back and belly, though molting males can match the pattern of Forest Fody. Females and non-breeding males very similar, but Red Fody is paler and less greenish, with a smaller bill. Unlike Forest Fody, not found in the rainforest interior. Separated from female and non-breeding male Sakalava Weaver by smaller size, smaller bill, and different facial markings.
Identification
The red fody is about 5 inches (13 cm) in length and weighs 14–19 grams (0.49–0.67 oz). The male of the species is bright red with black markings around each eye. Its wings and tail are brown. Its underparts are also red, which distinguishes it from other fodies in areas where it has been introduced. The female fody's upper parts are olive-brown and its underparts are greyish brown.
Taxonomy
In 1760, the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the red fody in his Ornithologie based on a specimen collected in Madagascar. He used the French name Le cardinal de Madagascar and the Latin Cardinalis Madagascariensis. Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the twelfth edition, he added 240 species that had been previously described by Brisson. One of these was the red fody. Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name Loxia madagascariensis and cited Brisson's work. This species is now placed in the genus Foudia that was introduced by the German naturalist Ludwig Reichenbach in 1850. The type species was subsequently designated as the red fody. The species is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Foudia madagascariensis
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Genus
- Foudia
Range and habitat
It is a common bird found in forest clearings, grasslands and cultivated areas, but not in dense forest. In Madagascar it is regarded as a pest of rice cultivation. It has been introduced to other areas of the Indian Ocean, included the Amirantes, Comoros, Seychelles, Mauritius and Réunion.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Leuconotopicus villosus
Medium-sized woodpecker, common and widespread across North America as far south as western Panama. Black-and-white plumage is nearly identical to the smaller Downy Woodpecker. Focus on the bill: Hairy has a longer bill, about the length of the head. Also look for clean white outer tail feathers. Some variation in color across range; birds in western North America and especially Central America are brownish, with limited white in the wing. Occurs in wooded habitats with large trees. Familiar visitor to backyard feeders, especially fond of suet. Calls include a loud “peek!” and a fast rattle, stronger than Downy Woodpecker.
Honeyguide Greenbul
Baeopogon indicator
Unusual dark greenbul with upright posture that does strongly resemble a honeyguide. Males have a white eye and females a dark one. Both sexes show a large white patch in the outer tail. Found in the upper portions of lowland forest. Usually in pairs or small groups. Most often detected by call: a slow series of mewing whistles. Similar to Sjöstedt's Greenbul, but has darker gray underparts, and male further distinguished by its pale eye. Distinguished from honeyguides by its different shape, especially the longer tail. Flight is direct, unlike undulating flight of a honeyguide.
Red-necked Spurfowl
Pternistis afer
Large, chunky francolin with bare red skin on the throat and around the eye. There is much geographical variation in the presence or extent of white on the face, black-and-white streaking below, and black on the belly. Found in a wide range of habitats, including moist savanna, grassland, thickets, cultivation, and forest edge. The call is a series of rough “krek” notes, sometimes with a rollicking introduction. Bare red throat separates it from most other francolins. In areas of overlap with Swainson’s or Gray-breasted Francolins, Red-necked can be identified by black-and-white striped underparts.
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