Alternative names: Red Forest Fody; Rothschild's Fody
- Foudia omissa
Identification
14cm.
Breeding male
- Red head, nape, chin and upper breast
- Black mask
- Olive-brown mantle and back with dark central streaks and some red tipps
- Red rump and uppertail-coverts
- Dark streaked olive-green upperwing and tail
- Olive-grey lower breast and rest of underparts, often with yellowish wash
- Black bill
- Brown legs
Female and non-breeding male
- Streaked olive-green upperparts
- Dark olive-green wings and tail (like breeding male)
- Olive-green cheek and ear-coverts, pale supercilium
- Olive-grey throat and underparts with some yellow streaking
- Light brown bill
- Light brown legs
Juveniles are similar to femals but they have tinged brown upperparts and buffy edges of wing-coverts.
Distribution
Endemic to eastern Madagascar.
Still fairly common but threatened by fragmentation of habitat.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
It forms a superspecies with Red-headed Fody and Mauritius Fody. Has been considered conspecific with the latter or with Red Fody.
Habitat
Evergreen forest.
Occurs from sea-level up to 2000m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on seeds, nectar and insects.
Forages in flocks of up to 15 birds and also joins mixed-species flocks.
Breeding
A monogamous species. Birds in breeding condition recorded in January. Nesting probably similar to Red Fody.
Movements
Presumably a resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2010. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 15: Weavers to New World Warblers. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553682
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Forest Fody. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 2 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Forest_Fody
