Red Avadavat

Red avadavats are tiny seed-eating finches native to South and Southeast Asia. They occupy grasslands, reed beds, scrub, cultivated fields and wetland margins, usually where dense low vegetation offers feeding and nesting cover. Breeding males develop brilliant red plumage spotted with white, whereas females and nonbreeding males are browner and less conspicuous. Social flocks commonly forage together outside the nesting period and maintain contact with frequent calls. (Animal Diversity Web)

Grass seeds make up most of the diet, supplemented by termites and other small insects, especially when additional protein is needed. Pairs construct rounded nests from grass, often placing them low within thick vegetation. Both adults participate in nest construction, incubation and feeding the young. Several eggs are laid in each clutch, and the nestlings hatch helpless, depending entirely on their parents until they become feathered and capable of leaving the nest. (Animal Diversity Web)