This Adorable, Colorful Bird Looks Just Like A Flying Strawberry

Its unique appearance truly makes it stand out.

Sophia

• Published in Animal Stories
• March 2, 2022

There are over 50 billion birds in the world, and each and every single one of them has unique characteristics that set them apart from the other groups or species. Some look like cathedral windows with their iridescent plumage, some look like a bird-version of someone famous, and some birds look like a fuzzy ball of fruit.

There are birds that look like apples, with their orange, red, and yellow hues, some look like bananas with their funky yellow plumage, some look like guavas with their amazing green feathers, but what you are about to see looks just like a cute little strawberry! When you see it at a first glance, you would be truly amazed by its striking plumage that closely resembles the said fruit.

Well, meet the Strawberry Finch, which is also known as Red Munia or Red Avadavat. They are about the size of a sparrow, and they belong to the Silverbill or Munia family.

However, you may see them not looking much like a strawberry—but that only means it isn't the breeding season. When males start to look for a mate, their usual dull and brown tones turn into a deep bright red with white dots that resemble strawberry seeds all over its body and their black wings.

The Strawberry Finch, also known as Red Avadavat or Red Munia, is a small bird that transforms its plumage into a beautiful red during the breeding season.

Their numbers are originally spread across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

They can also be found in some parts of southeast Asia, and have also been introduced in Hawaii, Fiji and Malaysia.

They only measure three to four inches in length, and they tend to live in the tall grasses nearby a water body. They also live in gardens, open meadows, and jungle clearings.

Their strawberry pattern only comes out in males, when they are ready to attract a mate. Both male and female birds in this species have dull brown tones when they are not breeding.

When they are ready, the males transform into a deep red appearance all over, with black wings and white dots that give them the "strawberry" look.

Because of the male's spectacular colors, they have been made into pets in some parts of the world. But the birds tend to lose their color when certain conditions in their environment are not met.

The females also transform during breeding season, but it's not quite as dramatic compared to the male ones. Instead of turning red, their undersides just turn into an even brighter yellow-orange color.

In winter, their beaks turn to black, and it turns back to red when the months are warm.

Once the birds pair up, they stay monogamous for the entire breeding season.

In order to attract a mate, male strawberry finches would not only display their striking feathers, but they would also get a piece of grass or feather in their beaks and take a bow while at the same time, keeping their feathers up.

The females will then take their turn in putting their own display. Once they get paired, they will separate from their flock and only mind their business.

They will then build their nests in the grass.

After all that, they will typically leave a clutch of five to six eggs.

Nature really has a lot to offer, and this particular bird is one testimony of it! It's quite amazing to see all these patterns, and this strawberry-looking one definitely remains at the top of the list.

Comment down your thoughts, or share this article for all your family and friends to see - especially if they love delightful, little birds.

Sophia