Red avadavat or straw berry finch is a very small bird almost in the size of common house sparrow. It belongs yo the Estrildidae family. It is found in open fields, grass lands or near mashy places near stagnant water, or flowing water streams of tropical Asia. Because of its colourful plumage, it is also popular as caged bird.
It breeds in the Indian subcontinent in the monsoon season. The species name of amandava and the common name of avadavat are derived from the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India, from where these birds were exported into the pet trade in former times.