Strawberry finches are native to Pakistan, the Philippines, and India, and include the red avadavat and the green avadavat. These birds are very small, and they usually only grow to be a few inches (no more than 3 or 4 cm) long. They typically like to live in large groups of their own kind, but they also enjoy the company of other small birds when kept as pets.
When kept as a pet, the strawberry finch needs certain conditions in order to thrive. Bird experts often recommended that a person purchase or build an aviary, which is a type of large enclosure, instead of a small cage to house these birds. They are very active and need a good deal of space to be healthy and happy. Experts also recommend that a pet owner change food and water within the enclosure often to help prevent illness. Strawberry finches are normally very healthy birds and are not as likely to become ill as some other types of birds, but they can get sick if they are not cared for properly.
One type of strawberry finch is the red avadavat, which is marked by its coloring during the breeding season. Male red avadavat birds are a bright red with white spotting on their wings when they are ready to breed. The female red avadavat birds are brown with white spots along the wings — they do not change colors when they are ready to breed. Male and female finches become similar in color when mating season is over, with brown and yellow coloring and dark wings.
The green avadavat is another type of strawberry finch. This bird is marked by its bright green and yellow coloring, black stripes along its sides, and red beak. It is more difficult to determine the gender of this species than the red avadavat because the females are only slightly duller in color than the males. These finches usually live for several years but are more rare than the red avadavat. Their lesser numbers are due to the frequent destruction of this bird's natural habitat.
The strawberry finch usually breeds often, with the female of either species laying several eggs during one season. Strawberry finches build small nests out of soft items, such as grass, feathers, and moss. While these birds are usually docile, they are sometimes confrontational when it is time to breed, so experts often recommend that a breeder keep individual couples separated during this time.