Foudia madagascariensis

The Red cardinal foody (Foudia madagascariensis) is a species endemic to Madagascar even if during the last decades it has been introduced into other islands of the Indian Ocean. It is very common on this island and well diffused in various habitats, including inhabited centres. Only the male shows a flaming red livery during the reproductive period whilst the female and also the male in the post reproductive livery are of brownish grey colour. It belongs to the family of Ploceidae, a grouping that includes in the African continent a very high number of species © Giuseppe Mazza