Red avadavat: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 10:34, 14 July 2021

Revision as of 18:22, 17 July 2021

Line 19:

==Taxonomy==

The red avadavat was [[Species description|formally described]] by the Swedish naturalist [[Carl Linnaeus]] in 1758 in the [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|tenth edition]] of his ''[[Systema Naturae]]'' under the [[binomial nomenclature|binomial name]] ''Frigilla amandava''.<ref>{{cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=Carl | author-link=Carl Linnaeus | year=1758 | title= Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis | volume=Volume 1 | edition=10th | page=180 | publisher=Laurentii Salvii | ___location=Holmiae (Stockholm) | language=Latin | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/727087 }}</ref> Linnaeus based his description on "The Amaduvads Cock and Hen" that has been described and illustrated in 1738 by the English naturalist [[Eleazar Albin]].<ref>{{ cite book | last1=Albin | first1=Eleazar | author1-link=Eleazar Albin | last2=Derham | first2=William | author2-link=William Derham | year=1738 | title=A Natural History of Birds : Illustrated with a Hundred and One Copper Plates, Curiously Engraven from the Life | volume=Volume 3 | page=72, Plate 77 | ___location=London | publisher=Printed for the author and sold by William Innys | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41131128 }}</ref> Linnaeus specified the [[type locality (biology)|locality]] as East India but this was restricted to [[Kolkata]] (Calcutta) by [[E. C. Stuart Baker]] in 1921.<ref name=baker>{{ cite journal | last=Baker | first=E.C. Stuart | author-link=E. C. Stuart Baker | date=1921 | title=Hand-list of the "Birds of India" Part III | journal=Journal Bombay Natural History Society | volume=27 | pages=692-744 [725] | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30359388 }}</ref><ref name=paynter>{{ cite book | editor-last=Paynter | editor-first=Raymond A. Jr | year=1968 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=Volume 14 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | ___location=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=348 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14481549 }}</ref> This species is now placed in the [[genus]] ''[[Amandava]]'' that was introduced in 1836 by the English zoologist [[Edward Blyth]].<ref>{{ cite book | last=White | first=Gilbert | author-link=Gilbert White | editor-last=Blyth | editor-first=Edward | editor-link=Edward Blyth | date=1836 | title=The Natural History of Selborne, with its Antiquites; Naturalist's Calendar, &c. | ___location=London | publisher=Orr and Smith | page=44, Footnote | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47719792 }}</ref><ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date=July 2021 | title=Waxbills, parrotfinches, munias, whydahs, Olive Warbler, accentors, pipits | work=IOC World Bird List Version 11.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/waxbills/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | accessdate=14 July 2021 }}</ref>

The red avadavat were earlier included in the genus ''Estrilda'' by Jean Delacour. This placement was followed for a while but morphological,<ref>{{cite journal| journal=Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club|year= 1962| volume=82|title=The affinities of the Red Avadavat, Amandava amandava (Linn.)|author=Harrison, C.J.O.|pages=126–132|url= https://archive.org/stream/bulletinofbritis82brit#page/126/mode/2up}}</ref> behavioural, biochemical<ref>{{cite journal| title= Biochemical systematics within Palaeotropic finches (Aves: Estrildidae) |author=Christidis, L|pages= 380–392| journal=The Auk| volume=104| issue = 3| year=1987| url=http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v104n03/p0380-p0392.pdf| doi= 10.2307/4087534|jstor=4087534}}</ref> and DNA studies now support their separation in the genus ''Amandava''.<ref>{{cite journal|title=An ethological comparison of some waxbills (Estrildini), and its relevance to their taxonomy|author=Harrison, CJO| year=1962| journal= Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London| volume=139| issue=2| pages=261–282| doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1962.tb01830.x}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|authorlast=Delacour, | first=Jean|year=1943| title= A revision of the subfamily Estrildinae of the family Ploceidae| journal=Zoologica |pages=69–86 |volume=28 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51008602 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| year= 2007| journal= Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science| volume= 116| issue= 1| pages= 90–107| title= Skeletal characters and the systematics of Estrildid finches (Aves:Estrildidae)| authorlast= Webster, J| first=J.D. | url= http://www.indianaacademyofscience.org/Documents/Proceedings/V116/Proc_v116_1_2007_pp90-107.aspx| url-status= dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110524004704/http://www.indianaacademyofscience.org/Documents/Proceedings/V116/Proc_v116_1_2007_pp90-107.aspx| archive-date= 2011-05-24}}</ref>

Three [[subspecies]] are recognised:<ref name=ioc/>

Line 29:

==Description==

[[Image:Red Avadavat (Amandava amandava)- Female in Kolkata W IMG 3311.jpg|thumb|leftright|Female with red rump visible]]This small finch 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.<ref name=pcr/><ref>{{cite book|author=Whistler, Hugh|year=1949|title=Popular Handbook of Indian Birds|publisher=Gurney and Jackson|pages=216–217|url=https://archive.org/stream/popularhandbooko033226mbp#page/n259/mode/1up}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat==

Red avadavats are found mainly on flat plains, in places with tall grasses or crops, often near water.<ref name=pcr>{{ cite book |author1 last1=Rasmussen PC| first1=Pamela C. |author2 author1-link=JCPamela C. Rasmussen | last2=Anderton |name-list-style first2=ampJohn C. | year=20052012 | title =Birds of South Asia:. The Ripley Guide. | volume=Volume 2: Attributes and Status |page edition=5722nd | publisher= Smithsonian InstitutionNational &Museum of Natural History and Lynx Edicions | ___location=Washington D.C. and Barcelona | isbn=978-84-96553-87-3 | page=572 }}</ref> The species has four named subspecies. The nominate subspecies is called ''amandava'' and is found in [[Bangladesh]], [[India]], [[Nepal]] and [[Pakistan]]; the Burmese form is called ''flavidiventris'' (also found in parts of [[China]], [[Indonesia]], [[Thailand]] and [[Vietnam]]);<ref>{{cite journal| authorname=Baker, E.C.S. | year=1921 | title=The birds of the Indian Empire: Hand-list of the "Birds of India", Part 3 |journal=Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=27|issue=4|pages= 692–744|url=https:baker//biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30359388}}</ref> the population further east in Java is called ''punicea'' and in Cambodia, ''decouxi''.<ref>{{cite book|pages=192–193|title=Fauna of British India. Birds. Volume 2|author=Oates, EW|year=1890| publisher=Taylor and Francis, London |url=https://archive.org/stream/faunaofbritishin02oate#page/192/mode/1up/search/amandava}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/stream/bulletinunitedst2261963unit#page/216/mode/1up/search/amandava|pages=216|year=1963| journal=United States National Museum Bulletin |volume =226| title=Checklist of the birds of Thailand| author=Deignan, H.G.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|urlname=https:paynter//archive.org/stream/checklistofbirds141968pete#page/348/mode/1up|pages=348–349| title=Check-list of the birds of the world|volume=14|author=Paynter RA (Ed)|year=1968|publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Baker ECS |title=Fauna of British India. Birds. Volume 3|edition=2nd|pages=95–97| url=https://archive.org/stream/BakerFbiBirds3/BakerFBI3#page/n116/mode/1up/| publisher=Taylor and Francis|year=1926}}</ref>

Introduced populations exist in several locations worldwide: southern [[Spain]],<ref>{{cite journal|title=Une nouvelle espèce à classer parmi les oiseaux de la Péninsule Ibérique: ''Estrilda (Amandava) amandava'' L. (Ploceidae, Passeriformes)|trans-title= A new species for the Iberian Peninsula: ''Estrilda (Amandava) amandava'' L. (Ploceidae, Passeriformes)|author1=De Lope F. |author2=Guerrero J. |author3=De La Cruz C. |journal= Alauda| year=1984| volume=52| issue=4}}</ref> [[Brunei]], [[Fiji]],<ref>{{cite journal|last=Langham|first=NPEN.P.E.|year=1987|title=The Annualannual Cyclecycle of the Avadavat ''Amandava amandava'' in Fiji|journal=Emu|volume=87|pages=232–243|doi=10.1071/MU9870232|issue=4}}</ref> Egypt,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/handlistofbirdso00nico#page/29/mode/1up|page=30|title=Handlist of the birds of Egypt|author=Nicoll, MJ |year=1919| publisher=Government Press, Cairo}}</ref> [[Malaysia]], the [[United States]], [[Bahrain]], [[Brunei]], [[Egypt]], [[Fiji]], [[Guadeloupe]], [[Iran]], [[Italy]], [[Réunion]], [[Malaysia]], [[Mexico]], the [[Dominican Republic]], [[Martinique]], [[Portugal]], [[Japan]], [[Puerto Rico]], [[Singapore]] and [[Hawaii]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Oiseaux granivores exotiques implantés en Guadeloupe, à Marie-Galante et en Martinique (Antilles françaises)|trans-title= Seed eating exotic birds established in Guadeloupe, Marie Galante and in Martinique (French West Indies)|author1=Barre N. |author2=Benito-Espinal E. |journal=[[L'Oiseau et la Revue française d'Ornithologie]]|year=1985| volume=55| issue=3 |pages=235–241}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|authorlast=Ticehurst, CB| first=C.B. |year=1930 |title= The Amandavat (''Aamandava amandava'') in Mesopotamia| journal= Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=34|issue=2|page= 576|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48296085}}</ref><ref>https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22719614/94635498</ref>

==Behaviour and ecology==

[[File:RedMunia.jpg|thumb|Male in non-breeding plumage|alt=|left]]

This finch is usually seen in small flocks,<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/0003-3472(70)90025-4 |journal=Animal Behaviour|volume=18|issue=4|pages=762–767 |year=1970| title=Some factors affecting the flock behaviour of red avadavats (''Amandava amandava'') with particular reference to clumping|author=Evans, SM}}</ref> flying with rapid wingbeats and descending into grass clumps where they are hard to observe. Pairs stay together during the breeding season.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Sparks, J.H. |year=1964|title= Flock structure of the Red Avadavat with particular references to clumping and allopreening| journal= J. Anim. Behaviour |volume=12|pages=125–126|doi=10.1016/0003-3472(64)90113-7}}</ref> These birds produce a distinctive low single note ''pseep'' call that is often given in flight. The song is a series of low notes.<ref name=hbk>{{cite book|author1=Ali S |author2=SD Ripley |name-list-style=amp | year= 1999| title=Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan|publisher= Oxford University Press|pages=106–108|volume=10|edition=2nd}}</ref> Birds of a flock will preen each other, ruffling their head feathers in invitation.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1965.tb02024.x|title=On the role of allopreening invitation behaviour in reducing aggression among red avadavats, with comments on its evolution in the Spermestidae |year=1965|last1=Sparks|first1=John H.|journal=Journal of Zoology|volume=145|pages=387–403|issue=3}}</ref> They feed mainly on grass seeds but will also take insects such as termites when they are available.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Inglis, CM |year=1910|title= Note on the Spotted Munia (''Uroloncha punctulata'') and the Indian Red Munia (''Sporaeginthus amandava'')| journal= J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. |volume=20|issue=2|pages=517–518|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30166718}}</ref>

They build a globular nest made of grass blades. The usual clutch is about five or six white eggs.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/nestseggsofindia02humerich#page/147/mode/1up/search/amandava|author=Hume, AO |title=The nestsNests and eggsEggs of Indian Birds|volume= 2|year=1890 |pages=147–149|publisher= R .H. Porter, | ___location=London}}</ref>

The beak begins to turn red in May and darkens during November and December. The beak then turns rapidly to black in April and the cycle continues.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Thapliyal, JP |author2=BBP Gupta |name-list-style=amp |year=1984| title= Thyroid and annual gonad development, body weight, plumage pigmentation, and bill color cycles of Lal Munia, ''Estrilda amandava''| journal= Gen. Comp. Endocrinology |volume=55|pages=20–28| doi=10.1016/0016-6480(84)90124-2|pmid=6745630| issue=1}}</ref> These seasonal cycles are linked to seasonal changes in daylength.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Subramanian, P |author2=R Subbaraj |name-list-style=amp |year=1989|title=Seasonal changes in the timing of hopping and feeding activities of a tropical bird (''Estrilda amandava'') under natural photoperiod|journal=Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Anim. Sci.) | volume=98| issue=2|pages=89–93|url=https://archive.org/stream/indidanacademyof020238mbp#page/n95/mode/1up| doi= 10.1007/BF03179631|s2cid=83953707 }}</ref>