Common name: Red Avadavat
Scientific name: Amandava amandava
Family: Estrildidae

Size:
Body length: 9.5–10.5 cm
Weight: approximately 7.2–9.5 g

Identification:
A very small finch with a short, thick red bill and a dark tail. Breeding males are unmistakable, with brilliant crimson-red plumage covered with small white spots on the flanks, breast and wings. Females and non-breeding males are much duller, mainly grey-brown above and pale buff to whitish below, but retain the reddish rump and finely spotted wing coverts.

Habitat:
Prefers areas with dense grasses, reedbeds and lush vegetation near fresh or brackish water, as well as agricultural fields and cultivated areas. It feeds extensively among grasses and other seed-producing vegetation.

Status in the UAE:
An introduced feral species with confirmed breeding in the UAE. Nesting was reported in Sharjah City in 1988, with later records from Ramtha, the Zabeel area, Dubai Pivot Fields and Wamm Farms. The current UAE checklist continues to mark the species as a confirmed breeder.

Diet:
Feeds mainly on grass seeds and other small seeds, often taking them directly from ripening seed heads or from the ground. Small insects may occasionally supplement its diet.

Behavior:
A social and active species that usually feeds in small mobile flocks. It readily clings to grass stems while extracting seeds and may gather communally in dense vegetation, particularly around wetlands and reedbeds.

Conservation Status:
Global: Least Concern (LC)
UAE National Red List: Not listed in the UAE National Red List assessment